When a list of the geographic center of each state was featured in this article here at The Gate With Brian Cohen, I realized that I never wrote an article about my visiting the geographical center of the 48 contiguous United States.
Visiting the Geographical Center of the 48 Contiguous United States
This sign is actually located on Kansas State Highway 36.
The geographical center of the 48 contiguous United States is located in northern Kansas near the city of Lebanon.
As a classic study in perspective, the view in the above photograph is facing south away from Lebanon on United States Highway 281 towards Interstate 70, which is approximately 70 miles off in the distance…
…and this view faces north into the business district of Lebanon, which is located in Smith County. Incorporated on Saturday, January 12, 1889, 182 people call this city home.
The howling wind on that cold October morning causes the street signs at AA Road and 130 Road to loudly clang together as they vibrated wildly.
If you want souvenirs, you must go to the downtown area of Lebanon to purchase them, as souvenirs are not available at the actual site.
The entire complex at the geographic center of the 48 continuous United States is shown in the photograph above.
Not much can be seen looking east in the distance on Kansas State Highway 191.
Both the flag of the United States and the flag of Kansas whip loudly in the gusty winds on a flagpole that is mounted on a monument which was erected on Thursday, April 25, 1940 by a group of citizens who hired engineers to determine the position of the “geographic center” of the United States as determined by what was then called the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey…
…and a formal plaque that is mounted on the monument commemorates the Geographic Center of the United States, which only included 48 states in 1940, as Alaska and Hawaii were not yet admitted into the Union.
A pavilion is available if you want to enjoy a picnic. A lone grill is nearby with which charcoal or wood can be used as fuel to cook food.
At least one place is available where children can play behind the structure — but it certainly does not comprise as a playground.
A small sign in front of a Bur Oak tree in the center of the photograph above proclaims:
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS 1900
BUR OAK
Quercus macrocarpa
“FORESTRY… AT THE HUB OF AMERICA”
A GREAT PLAINS SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS AND® HUB CLUB COOPERATIVE PROJECT
1996
A diminutive building called U.S. Center Chapel is on the site and open to the public. The original building was destroyed by a speeding vehicle which missed the turn at the intersection on Sunday, June 1, 2008. This new chapel replaced it.
The following words were printed on laminated paper and taped to the wall:
Your Comments Appreciated
Plus
Your Hometown and State are especially nice
Souvenirs
LaDows Market in Lebanon
Nothing was in the cup marked FREE. Visitors are apparently supposed to bring along some toys or other small gifts to leave for the people who follow them.
A rack on the wall was stuffed with religious literature. The following words were printed on laminated paper and taped to the wall underneath the rack:
RESTROOMS AVAILABLE AT THE CITY PARK IN LEBANON
FROM APRIL – SEPTEMBER OPEN 24 HRS
404 KANSAS AVE
I suppose if you really need to use a toilet, you are out of luck between October and March. I also guess that the seats — which line both sides of the chapel — are called Pepe Le Pews?
The sill-y flies were just dying to take in the services — or lack thereof — of the chapel at the windows inside.
One can relax on either of the two benches which flank the small chapel — if the weather is nice enough to do so.
Final Boarding Call
The geographic — or geographical — center of the 48 contiguous United States is located at the western end of Kansas State Highway 191 at the intersection of AA Road and 130 Road near the small city of Lebanon.
I have been to this spot twice. Not much changes here; so even though the last time I visited here was in October of 2017, mostly everything should still remain the same. Unless you truly enjoy having visited places such as this, going out of the way to say that you have been here may not be worth the effort, as there is not much to see or do at this site.
Expect to spend three hours just driving to and from Interstate 70. Unless you intend to enjoy a picnic lunch, one hour should more than suffice for your visit.
The Geographical Center of the United States
Lebanon, Kansas 66952
United States
1-785-620-7115
The site is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. No admission fee is charged. No facilities are available. A small ersatz parking lot with free parking is located on the south side of the complex. In fact, you can park just about anywhere — as long as you do not park your motor vehicle on the grass.
All photographs ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
