Center, Washington: Dan Youra, owner of Dan Youra Studios,
announced at Center, Washington that the center of the United States of America
has been discovered on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.
The center of the United States is near Center, Washington," Youra
said. "Center is an appropriate name for the little town," he added.
Youra's calculations determine that the Olympic Peninsula is the mid-point
between the USA's farthest north and south latitudes and between its farthest
east and west longitudes. Eastport, Maine is the nation's easternmost city
at 67 degrees. Alaska's Aleutian Islands are at 180 degrees. Halfway between
the two points is near 123.5 degrees on the Olympic Peninsula between Mt.
Olympus in the Olympic National Park and Center, Washington, west of the Hood
Canal Bridge.
Alaska's Plover Islands north of Point Barrow are the nation's most northern
point at 74.2 degrees and the southern point is calculated at Honolulu at
21.4 degrees in the Hawaiian Islands. The midway point between the north and
south points is near 47.8 degrees on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
Center, Washington is a wide spot on the road near the intersection of Highway
104 and Center Road just west of the Hood Canal Bridge in Jefferson County.
The area is famous as the setting for Betty MacDonald's book, The Egg & I,
which is about a local family, the original Ma and Pa Kettle.
During the summer months there are ongoing chamber music festivals performed
by the Philadelphia String Quartet in an old barn in Center. Call 206-527-8839
for information. Near Center is the Port Ludlow golf course, one of the northwest's
most highly acclaimed 36-hole courses.
The closest accommodations to Center, Washington are at The Resort at Port
Ludlow and the Inn at Port Hadlock.
The city nearest to Center is Port Townsend, a quaint Victorian Seaport,
the seat of Jefferson County. The county promotes itself as the "Heart
of the Olympic Peninsula" since it encompasses the center of Olympic
National Park with its rain forests and glacier covered mountains.
Visitors to Center can receive an information packet which includes a 48-page
Ferry Travel Guide with ferry routes and schedules to reach the Olympic Peninsula,
along with maps and other brochures on visiting the scenic areas around Center,
Washington.
OTHER WEB SITES WITH INFORMATION ON OLYMPIC PENINSULA
DISCLAIMER: This web site is not associated with, nor sanctioned by the United States Olympic Committee or International Olympic Committee. The word "Olympic" is used on this website with the permission of U.S. Code: Title 36: Section 220506 : (3)(B) "use of word 'Olympic' refers to the naturally occurring mountains or geographical region; and" (3)(C) "marketed in the State of Washington west of the Cascade Mountain range, and operations and marketing outside of this area are not substantial."