Using the google geocode api

geocode.py

import pandas as pd
import re
import urllib2
import pprint
import json

def geocode(place):

    add = urllib2.quote(place)
    geocode_url = "http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=%s&sensor=false&region=us" % add
    req = urllib2.urlopen(geocode_url)
    jsonResponse = json.loads(req.read())
    # pprint.pprint(jsonResponse)
    try:
        lat = jsonResponse['results'][0]['geometry']['location']['lat']
        lon = jsonResponse['results'][0]['geometry']['location']['lng']
        return lat, lon
    except IndexError:
        return '', ''
    
print geocode('123 Main St. Presque Isle ME 04769')