Geographic Center of the Nation Monument

Most people don't realize that the geographic center of the United States isn't in Kansas anymore. When Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the Union in 1959, the center shifted hundreds of miles northwest, landing near the small cattle town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The actual center point is located on private property, so the National Geodetic Survey designated Belle Fourche as the closest town and placed the official monument there. The monument is a spectacular compass rose-shaped structure designed by local artist Monte Amende. It's 21 feet across, constructed of South Dakota granite with a 12-inch bronze marker, and is ringed by the Avenue of Flags, featuring all 50 state flags plus the national flags of the United States and Canada.