Take US 377 to the geographic center of Texas

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^ date reposted to this blog
Dec. 14, 2016: originally posted to my old blog
Jun. 22, 2023: last updated

The geo-center of Texas is roughly between Brownwood and Brady; the nearest locale is the minuscule burg of Mercury. Today US 377 is the closest major highway passing near the point, and a roadside historical marker is posted just south of Mercury:



However, it was not always US 377 that carried geo-pilgrims to this point. The 1939 official state highway map was the last to show that corridor served by TX 23 (also note: at the time, US 190 went only as far west as Brady):


c. 1939, TXDoT

Later in 1939, both US 183 and US 283 were extended southward to Junction, and US 283 became the first US route to serve the Texas geo-center (at the time, US 377 ended in Stephenville):


c. 1940, TXDoT

In about 1951, US 183 and US 283 were rerouted to their current corridors. US 377 replaced what had been US 283 along the segment connecting Brownwood-Brady-Mason-Junction, thus becoming the second US route to serve the Texas geo-center:


c. 1973, TXDoT

This view is looking southward along US 377 from the top of an observation tower in the "Heart of Texas" roadside picnic area, which is about a quarter-mile south of the historical marker. Brady is about 20 miles in the distance, while Mercury is about one mile in the opposite direction:



(Texas brag: the Lone Star State is big enough to contain most of the mass in the inner Solar System: besides Mercury, there are also towns in Texas named Venus and Earth.)

The historical marker makes note of the fact that it is not located at the precise geographic center; rather that point is actually about five miles off to the northwest. The exact spot is located on private property; out of respect for the landowner the specific ranch will remain unnamed, and it has been redacted from the quote below:



Since it is all but impossible to visit the precise center of Texas, we will have to settle for a photo that shows what the granite marker looks like:


(attribution unknown)


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