“Center of the United States”

For generations, the accepted Centre of the United States was near Smith Center, Kansas. The advent of Alaska, by mathematical wizardry, shifted it into Butte County, South Dakota and with the addition of Hawaii it was again relocated a few miles further Southwest at the approximate joinder of 44 58’ North, with 103 46’ West, which in fact is located 3/10 of a mile DUE EAST from this marker.

South Dakota has long claimed to be the approximate centre of North America with a monument and marker North of Pierre to prove it. The flags of Spain, France and the U.S.A. have proclaimed their sovereignty over this area, the centre of the great buffalo ranges of the 19th century. The Gros Ventres, Cheyennes, Crows and Sioux waged their never ending forays and wars hereabouts. Verendrye, the first white man, passed close to this point to the east in 1743.

The Custer Expedition of 1874, on their homeward journey, also passed close by and in 1876 General George Crook with his starving horse meat eaters, after the Battle of Slim Buttes enroute to succor in the Black Hills, passed close by. Shortly, thereafter, Texas longhorns replaced the buffalo and homesteaders took over from the nomadic Indians. Butte County, once with 7,885 square miles was whittled down to 2,266 square miles in 1908, still a tenth larger than Delaware. South Dakotans prosper under their State Motto: “Under God the People Rule” and are mighty happy to have the great United States spread out equally to the four corners of the compass around this point.

Now located at Tri State Museum grounds in Belle Fourche