Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States
%20(3678932916).jpg?width=480)
.jpg?width=480)
Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States is a historic site in Kansas, at a modelled elevation of 574 m. Lookout Mountain stands 624 m to the northwest, 23 miles off. Heritage Highway passes 18 miles off. 25 named places lie within 25 miles, 2 of them named summits.
The story
The geographic center of the United States is a point approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of Belle Fourche, South Dakota at 44°58′2.08″N 103°46′17.60″W. It has been regarded as such by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey and the U.S. National Geodetic Survey (NGS) since the additions of Alaska and Hawaii to the United States in 1959.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q5535054, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
How to reach it
- 18.0 mi off the Heritage Highway
25 named places within 25 miles
- Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States: 0.0 mi
- Wagner Park: 11.4 mi
- Willa Cather Memorial Prairie: 12.5 mi
- Willa Cather Memorial Prairie Historical Marker: 12.5 mi
- Red Cloud City Park: 18.1 mi
- Indian Creek State Wildlife Management Area: 16.4 mi
- Narrows State Wildlife Management Area: 17.6 mi
- Jewell County State Park: 18.4 mi
- Limestone Bluffs State Wildlife Management Area: 20.4 mi
- Elk Creek State Wildlife Management Area: 21.7 mi
- Burlington Depot: 17.5 mi
- Willa Cather House: 18.2 mi
- Webster County Historical Museum: 18.2 mi
- Jewell County Historical Msm: 19.8 mi
- Statue of Liberty Replica: 17.7 mi
- Walronds Stockade: 20.3 mi
- Sod and Stubble: 22.2 mi
- The Island: 15.4 mi
- Lookout Mountain: 22.7 mi
- Starke Round Barn: 19.3 mi
- World's Largest Ball of Sisal Twine: 23.4 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 25 miles of Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lookout Mountain | NW 311° | 624 m | 22.7 mi |
| The Island | NNE 24° | 537 m | 15.4 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:39 | 19:11 | 19:47 |
| June solstice | 06:07 | 20:26 | 21:07 |
| September equinox | 07:23 | 18:58 | 19:33 |
| December solstice | 07:53 | 16:31 | 17:13 |
Local time (America/Chicago).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 27 | 31 | 42 | 52 | 63 | 74 | 79 | 76 | 68 | 54 | 41 | 30 |
| Precip in | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Smith CTR, 11 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/2921418600
Take the scenic way to Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.