GOV Historical Gazetteer vs MCP Google Map
A side-by-side look at the GOV Historical Gazetteer and MCP Google Map MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
G
GOV Historical GazetteerLocation Services · Local subprocess (stdio)German historical gazetteer GOV: a place's name, Kreis, parish and Standesamt in any year.53GoodAuth: no auth requiredVerdict: choose GOV Historical Gazetteer for location services work as a local process; choose MCP Google Map for location services as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
GChoose GOV Historical Gazetteer when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Location Services domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You have the keys it needs:
GOV_GAZETTEER_CACHE_DIR, GOV_GAZETTEER_TIMEOUT, GOV_GAZETTEER_MIN_INTERVAL, GOV_GAZETTEER_CONTACT. - You want tools like
gov_search, gov_object, gov_place_at_date.
Choose MCP Google Map when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Location Services domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY. - You want tools like
maps_search_nearby, maps_search_places, maps_place_details.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | G GOV Historical Gazetteer | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Location Services | Location Services |
| Quality signal | 53/100 · Good | 69/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | API key required |
| Pricing | Free | BYOK (pay the provider) |
| Required env vars | GOV_GAZETTEER_CACHE_DIRGOV_GAZETTEER_TIMEOUTGOV_GAZETTEER_MIN_INTERVALGOV_GAZETTEER_CONTACT | GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 470 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 5 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 6 | 18 |
| Full listing | View GOV Historical Gazetteer | View MCP Google Map |
Tools & capabilities
GOV Historical Gazetteer tools 6
gov_searchFind places by name: GOV id, names, types, coordinates and current parents. `within` limits the search to what lies inside a Kreis, province or state at any date; `place_type` keeps villages, parishes, Standesämter and so on.gov_objectOne object in full: every name with its language and dates, every type with dates, coordinates, external ids, and each part-of, located-in and represents relation with its dates and GOV's source ids. `children` lists what lies inside it, such as a parish's villages. Takes a GOV id, a GOV page addre…gov_place_at_dateA place in one year: its name then and the civil chain above it to the state, each level with its type and the link's dates. Links GOV leaves undated, or attests only in another year, are marked.gov_registersThe parish (by confession, where GOV records it) and the Standesamt that covered a place in one year, the bodies above each parish whose archive may hold the books, and the local court. Says plainly when GOV records no parish or no Standesamt.gov_enclosuresEvery dated enclosure of a place and of each civil place above it, shaped for a dated place tree: one entry per parent with its periods, current first, each with a `gramps_date` such as `from 1871-01-01 to 1937-03-31`, and a suggested Gramps place type.cache_statusThis session's requests to GOV, by operation, and cache use. Makes no request.
MCP Google Map tools 18
maps_search_nearbyFind places near a location by type (restaurant, cafe, hotel, etc.). Supports filtering by radius, rating, and open status.maps_search_placesFree-text place search (e.g., "sushi restaurants in Tokyo"). Supports location bias, rating, open-now filters.maps_place_detailsGet full details for a place by its place_id — reviews, phone, website, hours. Optional `maxPhotos` param returns photo URLs.maps_geocodeConvert an address or landmark name into GPS coordinates.maps_reverse_geocodeConvert GPS coordinates into a street address.maps_distance_matrixCalculate travel distances and times between multiple origins and destinations. Driving mode supports `avoid_tolls` and `avoid_highways`.maps_directionsGet step-by-step navigation between two points with route details. Driving mode supports `avoid_tolls` and `avoid_highways`.maps_elevationGet elevation (meters above sea level) for geographic coordinates.maps_timezoneGet timezone ID, name, UTC/DST offsets, and local time for coordinates.maps_weatherGet current weather conditions or forecast — temperature, humidity, wind, UV, precipitation.maps_air_qualityGet air quality index, pollutant concentrations, and health recommendations by demographic group.maps_static_mapGenerate a map image with markers, paths, or routes — returned inline for the user to see directly.- +6 more on the listing page
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
GOV Historical Gazetteer
{
"mcpServers": {
"gov-historical-gazetteer": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"gov-gazetteer-mcp"
],
"env": {
"GOV_GAZETTEER_CACHE_DIR": "YOUR_GOV_GAZETTEER_CACHE_DIR_HERE",
"GOV_GAZETTEER_TIMEOUT": "YOUR_GOV_GAZETTEER_TIMEOUT_HERE",
"GOV_GAZETTEER_MIN_INTERVAL": "YOUR_GOV_GAZETTEER_MIN_INTERVAL_HERE",
"GOV_GAZETTEER_CONTACT": "YOUR_GOV_GAZETTEER_CONTACT_HERE"
}
}
}
}
MCP Google Map
{
"mcpServers": {
"cablate-mcp-google-map": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@cablate/mcp-google-map"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
GOV Historical Gazetteer is categorized under Location Services and uses a local stdio subprocess. MCP Google Map belongs to Location Services and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick GOV Historical Gazetteer for location services work and MCP Google Map for location services.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
GOV Historical Gazetteer is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. MCP Google Map is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add gov-historical-gazetteer and cablate-mcp-google-map as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, GOV Historical Gazetteer has a quality signal of 53/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. MCP Google Map has 69/100 (Great) with 5 views, 0 installs and 470 GitHub stars.