Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names
Governing Documentation, Policies and Procedures
A complete guide to the Board’s bylaws, policies, procedures, and additional information is available in the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names- Governing Documentation, Policies, and Procedures
Description
The Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names (ASBGHN) has statutory responsibility to determine the most appropriate names for geographic features and places of historical significance in Arizona. The Board also has statutory responsibility to establish or designate a highway or area as a parkway, historic road, or scenic road that is of geographic or historical significance in Arizona.
Names for geographic features and places of historical significance are part of Arizona's historical record, and reflect the state's history, culture, and diversity.
Statute
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 41, Chapter 4.1, Article 3 (ARS §41-835 through §41-838) establishes the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names.
Member Directory
Chair: David Breeckner, Arizona Historical Society
Vice Chair: Keith Watkins, Arizona Commerce Authority
The Board is composed of ten members. One member each is appointed by the head of the following agencies:
- Arizona Department of Transportation
- Arizona State Land Department
- Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
- Arizona Historical Society
- Arizona Commerce Authority
- Arizona Department of Economic Security
- A geography department of an Arizona university (rotates between Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University)
The Board is also composed of three members of the public, at least one of whom is an enrolled member of a recognized Tribe or Indian community in Arizona. These members are appointed by the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions.
The Board elects its own Chair and Vice-Chair annually, or as needed to replace a Chair or Vice-Chair who leaves the Board mid-year.
Public Member Application
The Board currently has two open Public Member positions. To apply, submit an application through the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions.
Under the Board/Commission Interest section, select “Geographic and Historic Names, State Board on” from the Board/Commission dropdown.
Please note that the Board does not appoint Public Member positions and is not involved in the process. Questions about the status of your application should be directed to the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions.
Meetings
The Board meets quarterly (four times a year) with regularly scheduled meetings in January, April, July, and October.
The public notice and agenda for each meeting are posted with at least 24 hours’ notice on the Board’s website (this page) and the Arizona Public Meetings page.
Meetings are open to the public.
Agendas, previous meeting minutes and draft minutes are archived for public review and available to view through a Public Records Request.
Not yet available
The First Quarter meeting scheduled for February 25th at 10 a.m. has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a date to be announced.
| Date & Time | Location | Virtual Meeting | Public Notice / Agenda / Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ASBGHN Regular Meeting
2025 Apr 22
10:00 AM
|
Arizona Heritage Center, 1300 N College Ave, Tempe AZ 85281 |
ID: 853 4170 8561
Pass: 663475
|
| Date & Time | Location | Virtual Meeting | Public Notice / Agenda | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Oct 22
10:00 AM |
Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
|
ID: 824 7187 0162
Pass: 358535
|
Notice/Agenda | |
| 2024 Aug 27
10:00 AM |
Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
|
ID: 814 7471 1839
Pass: 578410
|
Notice/Agenda |
Mon. June 3, 2024 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
In-person or via Zoom (Link is in the Agenda)
Agenda | Minutes
Tues. April 23, 2024 10:00am - 12:00pm
Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
In-person or via Zoom
Meeting ID: 864 157 0897; Passcode: 736615
Agenda | Minutes
Tues. April 23, 2024 10:00am - 12:00pm
Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
In-person or via Zoom
Meeting ID: 864 157 0897; Passcode: 736615
Agenda | Minutes
Meeting has been cancelled
Tues. August 8, 2023 10:00am - 12:00pm Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
Tues. April 25, 2023 10:00am - 12:00pm Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
In-person or via Zoom Meeting ID: 820 7393 0197; Passcode: 279846
Agenda | Minutes
Tues. April 25, 2023 10:00am - 12:00pm Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
In-person or via Zoom Meeting ID: 820 7393 0197; Passcode: 279846
Agenda | Minutes
Tues. Jan 24, 2023 10:00am - 11:00am Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
In-person or via Zoom Meeting ID: 873 8388 7293; Passcode: 373551
Agenda | Minutes
Wed, Dec 14, 2022 10:00am - 11:30am Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
in-person
Tue, October 25, 2022 10:00am - 12:00pm Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave,
Tempe, AZ 85281
in-person via Zoom
Meeting ID: 846 9080 8376; Passcode: 393398
Agenda | Minutes
Wed, August 22, 2019
10:00am – 11:00am
Polly Rosenbaum History and Archives Building, 2nd Floor Conference Room
1901 W Madison St
Agenda | Minutes
Wed, August 14, 2019 (Cancelled)
10:00am – 11:00am
Polly Rosenbaum History and Archives Building, 2nd Floor Conference Room
1901 W Madison St
Agenda | Minutes
October 23, 2018
Minutes
August 18, 2018
Minutes
February 21, 2018
Minutes
Current Name Proposals
Information about name proposals currently under consideration by the Board are available in the Docket Review List.
Docket Review Lists are posted on the first Wednesday of every month.
| Name Proposal | Status | Eligible for Vote (Board Meeting Date) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-02 S-Chuk Mo’o | Under Research | July 22, 2025 |
| 2024-03 Gary Knight Memorial Highway | Under Research | July 22, 2025 |
| 2025-01 New Water Springs Historic Road | Under Research | July 22, 2025 |
| 2025-02 Jimmie Preston Bridge | Under Research | July 22, 2025 |
| 2025-03 Engagement Beach | Under Research | October 28, 2025 |
Proposed Name Response Form
To provide feedback on any of the proposals listed in the Current Name Proposals, please review the Docket Review List and submit a Proposed Name Response Form.
Name Proposal Application
Anyone can submit a name proposal. The Board's Research Support staff will confirm with the applicant that their proposal has been received and follow up with any questions about the proposal.
Research Support staff is also available to assist applicants in completing their proposal.
Submit completed applications to [email protected]
Name Proposal Process and Procedures
The Board follows the Principles, Policies, and Procedures of the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Please review this document to ensure the proposal meets these standards.
Please note that naming a feature is a collaborative, multi-stage process. Every proposal receives thorough research and opportunities for community stakeholders to provide feedback to the Board in its considerations.
To satisfy community stakeholder consultation periods, the naming process takes at least 2 months before the Board can vote on a proposal. The process may take up to 1 year for more complex proposals involving more research and stakeholders.
Please review the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names- Governing Documentation, Policies, and Procedures when submitting a proposal.
Contact
Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board
For questions about the governance and function of the Board, more information regarding Public Member appointments, and press/media inquiries.
Please contact the Board's Administrative Support Staff or Research Support Staff, who will forward your inquiry to the Chair and Vice-Chair.
Administrative Support Staff
For assistance with the Board's administrative procedures, such as agendas, meetings, minutes, and public records requests.
Research Support Staff
For assistance with the Board's research procedures, such as submitting a name proposal application, securing supporting documentation, and understanding the Principles, Policies, and Procedures.
Application Form
Application form for submitting name proposals
All name proposals must include a completed Application, supporting documentation and a map showing the location of the feature. After downloading the application, please include the name proposal in the file name (example filename: ASBGHN Application_name feature).
Recommendation form for name proposals
The board considers information provided by the proponent, opponents, if any, and the board's staff in its deliberations on proposed names. The board's support staff contacts the appropriate local, county and state governmental agencies, Native American
tribal governments and also conducts independent, systematic, thorough research for background on the historical and current local usage of a proposed name. This can take some time, therefore, the more documentation the board receives from a proponent,
the easier it is for the board to decide on a name proposal.
These procedures allow anyone from the public or a government agency to propose a name and allow for public input at open meetings, both for and against a proposed name. The board goes to this effort in furtherance of its statutory charge to preserve
and protect the state's history as reflected in Arizona's geographic names.
Additional Information
To help your understanding of the policies, practices and procedures the Board follows in deciding a name issue for the State of Arizona, the Board has resolved to increase awareness and proactively communicate its role in the State of Arizona.
The Board follows the Principles, Policies, and Procedures of the United States Board on Geographic Names when considering proposals.
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), developed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (USBGN), contains information on nearly 2 million physical and cultural features in the United States. The federally recognized name of each feature described in the database is identified and references are made to a feature’s location by state, county and geographic coordinates. The GNIS is the nation’s official repository of domestic geographic names information
