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Osborne in Osborne County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
 

Geodetic Center of North America

 
 
Geodetic Center of North America Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 28, 2011
1. Geodetic Center of North America Marker
Inscription.
On a ranch 18 miles southeast of this marker a bronze plate marks the most important spot on this continent to surveyors and map makers. Engraved in the bronze is a cross-mark and on the tiny point where the lines cross depend the surveys of a sixth of the world's surface. This is the Geodetic Center of the United States, the "Primary Station" for all North American surveys. It was located in 1901 by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Later Canada and Mexico adopted the point and its supporting system as the base for their surveys and it is now known as the "North American Datum." What Greenwich is to the longitude of the world, therefore, a Kansas pasture is to the lines and boundaries of this continent. It must not be confused with the Geographic Center of the United States, which is 42 miles north, in Smith County.
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This bronze disc is a replica of the actual marker for the Geodetic Center of North America, located south of Osborne.
 
Erected by Kansas Historical Society, State Highway Commission and Osborne Area Chamber of Commerce. (Marker Number 38.)
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. In addition, it is included in
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the Kansas Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.
 
Location. 39° 27.137′ N, 98° 41.613′ W. Marker is in Osborne, Kansas, in Osborne County. Marker is on 80th Drive, on the right when traveling east. Marker is at a roadside rest area/park, about 300 feet east of North 1st Street (U.S. Hwy 24/281). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Osborne KS 67473, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Osborne / Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance (a few steps from this marker); Hardman Veterans Memorial Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); Osborne County Pioneers Memorial (approx. 1.1 miles away); Osborne County Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.1 miles away); Osborne County Courthouse (approx. 1.1 miles away); Last Indian Fight in Osborne County (approx. 3.3 miles away); Melvin "Tubby" Millar Memorial (approx. 7.6 miles away); Civil War Unknown Dead (approx. 8˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Osborne.
 
Also see . . .  National Geodetic Survey. (Submitted on March 14, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
 
Geodetic Center of North America Bronze Disc Replica and Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 28, 2011
2. Geodetic Center of North America Bronze Disc Replica and Marker
Geodetic Center of North America Disc Replica image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 28, 2011
3. Geodetic Center of North America Disc Replica
Geodetic Center of North America Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 28, 2011
4. Geodetic Center of North America Marker
Looking west toward US Hwy 24/281
Geodetic Center of North America Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, September 22, 2014
5. Geodetic Center of North America Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 14, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 2,238 times since then and 95 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 14, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.   5. submitted on October 13, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona.

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Mar. 19, 2024