September 12, 2016

When Alaska and Hawaii were added to the Union in 1959, the Geographic Center of the United States shifted northwest, from a point near Lebanon Kansas to a location near Belle Fourche, South Dakota (pronounced "Bell Foosh").  Of course, adding those two states irritated the Lebanonites to no end but put a smile on the face of every Belle Fourchian.  

The marker lies about twenty miles north of Belle Fourche on U.S. Highway 85 and then seven miles down a dusty, dirt road.  A U.S. flag marks the general location, though the exact point is about 15 feet away and is indicated with a metal survey marker embedded in concrete.  It's a nice little place and I highly recommend it -- unless you're from Lebanon.

  • To see my 360-degree panorama photo, click on the photo above.
  • To read about my visit here, see News: September 12, 2016.

 

 

Home          About          Contact Me          Privacy

Sorry, this website uses features that your browser doesn’t support. Upgrade to a newer version of Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge and you’ll be all set.