I feel pretty confident in saying that Kansas as a whole is a pretty remote location… wouldn’t you agree? Aside from its somewhat smaller population, the Sunflower State is located in the quiet and friendly Midwest and features lots of charming small towns and open land. That being said, when it came to picking the most remote and isolated spot in the state, it was somewhat of a tossup; however, we just had to go with this one important spot that holds both geographic and historical significance.
Tucked away along the very north-central part of the state lies Lebanon; a tiny town of just over 200 located in Smith County.
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While the small town has gained its own attention over the years (in both the national news as well as fictional TV shows), one thing in particular makes the proud community stand out from the rest…
Flickr/Haydn Blackey
…which is its close proximity to the geographic center of the contiguous United States.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Located a mere 2.6 miles northwest of Lebanon, the geographic center of the contiguous United States is said to be the center of the lower 48, as studied and plotted by the U.S. National Geodetic Survey in the early 1900s.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Since the actual geographic center is located on private farmland, its limestone marker was intentionally placed nearly a half mile away in 1940.
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While the standalone marker isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, we still love the remote area for its purport…
Wikimedia Commons Hey; how many people can say they have been to the (almost) exact center of the good ol’ U.S.A? #braggingrights
…beautiful drive…
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
…and overall peace and tranquility that is hard to come by in our day-to-day lives.
Flickr/Haydn Blackey
For even more state history, click on These 11 Hidden Gems In Kansas Hold Historic Keys To The Past!
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Flickr/Haydn Blackey
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Hey; how many people can say they have been to the (almost) exact center of the good ol’ U.S.A? #braggingrights
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