1. A computer implemented method of operating a navigation system to provide geographic location information, the method comprising: receiving a text string query for only a child geographic location; providing a plurality of candidate geographic locations for the child geographic location from a geographic database; receiving a selection of one of the candidate geographic locations from a user; recording the candidate geographic location that was selected in a use history database; increasing, using a processor, a usage pattern weight for the candidate geographic location that was selected; and increasing, using the processor, a usage pattern weight for a parent geographic feature that includes the child geographic location from the text string query, wherein the parent geographic feature is a composite geographic feature that includes other geographic features.