Geographic center of the United States

Geographic center of the United States. The geographic center of the United States is located in Lebanon, Kansas, and is marked by a monument that attracts visitors from across the country, including those from New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This point is the center of the country in terms of latitude and longitude, and is situated near the Smoky Hills region, close to the Salina, Kansas and Hays, Kansas areas. The geographic center is also not far from the Kansas River, which flows into the Missouri River, and is near the Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence, Kansas.

Introduction

The geographic center of the United States is an important geographic and cartographic concept, and is used as a reference point for various purposes, including mapping and navigation, as used by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the United States Geological Survey. The center is located in the state of Kansas, which is also home to the Monument Rocks and the Chalk Pyramids, and is near the cities of Wichita, Kansas, Topeka, Kansas, and Kansas City, Kansas. The geographic center is also close to the Konza Prairie, a nature preserve managed by the Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University. Many notable Americans, including Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh, have visited the region, and the nearby Schlitterbahn waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas is a popular destination.

Definition and Calculation

The geographic center of the United States is defined as the point that is equidistant from all points on the country's border, as determined by the United States Census Bureau and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The calculation of the center involves the use of geographic information systems and cartographic techniques, as employed by the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service. The center is located at a latitude of 39°50′N and a longitude of 98°35′W, which is near the Lebanon, Kansas post office and the Smith County, Kansas courthouse. The geographic center is also close to the Fort Hays State University and the Hays, Kansas airport, which offers flights to Denver, Colorado and Dallas, Texas.

History of Determination

The geographic center of the United States was first determined in 1928 by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, which is now part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The survey used triangulation and trilateration techniques to calculate the center, as developed by Friedrich Gauss and Carl Friedrich Gauß. The center was later verified by the United States Geological Survey and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which used remote sensing and geographic information systems to confirm the location. The geographic center has also been recognized by the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration, and is near the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas.

Geographic Center Monuments

The geographic center of the United States is marked by a monument that was erected in 1941 by the Lebanon, Kansas chamber of commerce and the Kansas Historical Society. The monument is a large limestone marker that is inscribed with the words "Geographic Center of the United States," and is surrounded by a park that offers picnic areas and hiking trails, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The monument is also near the Lebanon, Kansas museum, which features exhibits on the history and geology of the region, including the Kansas Oil and Gas Museum in Dodge City, Kansas. Many notable Americans, including Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower, have visited the monument, and the nearby Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas is a popular destination.

Contiguous and Total Area Centers

The geographic center of the United States is not the same as the center of the country's contiguous area or total area, as determined by the United States Census Bureau and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The center of the contiguous area is located in Lebanon, Kansas, while the center of the total area is located in the Pacific Ocean, near the Hawaii islands and the Aleutian Islands. The geographic center is also close to the Missouri River and the Kansas River, which flow into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, and is near the Pony Express trail and the Oregon Trail.

Location and Accessibility

The geographic center of the United States is located in a rural area of Kansas, near the Lebanon, Kansas post office and the Smith County, Kansas courthouse. The center is accessible by car via US-281 and K-9, and is also near the Hays, Kansas airport and the Salina, Kansas airport, which offer flights to Denver, Colorado and Dallas, Texas. The geographic center is also close to the I-70 and I-35 interstate highways, and is near the Kansas City, Kansas train station and the Topeka, Kansas bus station, which offer connections to Amtrak and Greyhound Lines. Many notable Americans, including Mark Twain and Will Rogers, have visited the region, and the nearby Monument Rocks and Chalk Pyramids are popular destinations. Category:Geography of the United States