One Tiny Town in Wisconsin Claims To Be the Center of the World

Did you know one small town located not too far from Wausau, Wisconsin in Marathon County claims to be the "center of the world"?

The Center of the World Is in Wisconsin?

Before we get to where the center point of the world is hiding in one small Wisconsin town, let's get to the science behind the claim. Basically it's all based on geographical points.

Here's one of the easiest explanations I found from Only In Your State;

The 45×90 points, as they're called, are the four points on Earth which are halfway between the geographical poles, the equator, the Prime Meridian, and the 180th meridian. Only two of these points are on land - the other two fall in the middle of the ocean.

One of the two center points on land is located in a mountain region of China near Mongolia, the other is located in one small Wisconsin town called Poniatowski.

The plaque pictured above from Poniatowski, Wisconsin claims to mark the exact center of the Northern half of the Western Hemisphere, but is this for real?

Is Poniatowski's Center of the World Claim Official?

Poniatowski's claim to center world fame has been made "official" thanks to a man named John Gesicki who petitioned the U.S. Geological Survey to mark it.

Originally the center point was marked by a simple sign post in the middle of a cornfield that was difficult to find, but in recent years the community of Poniatowski banded together to create a nice spot for travelers to visit.

Family Destinations Guide says the area around the spot now has a "clear path, welcoming benches, and an official marker that stakes its claim in the ground".

If you want to see this unique spot for yourself the next time you're in the Wausau area, just punch the address 5651 Meridian Rd. Athens, Wisconsin into your GPS.

Here's what it looks like when you arrive, but you will have to take a bit of a walk to see the exact center point marker...

Here are even more cool places to check out the next time you're in Wisconsin...