This New York Town Marks the Center Of the State

Where is the center of New York State? Some might say Manhattan is the center of it all with Broadway, Times Square, Wall Street and millions of tourists flocking to the Big Apple each year. I'm not talking about the center of attraction or even population. I'm talking geographically.

New Yorkers can't seem to agree where Upstate New York is, do you think we can settle on the central location in the State? Not likely but let's see.

Get our free mobile app

More than 150 years ago an astronomer named Charles Piazzi Smyth determined that the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt marks the center of the earth. So, how do we find the center of New York?

According to Smithsonian Magazine, finding the geographical center of a country or state is not an exact science due to 'irregular shapes wrapped around an enormous sphere'. Let's see how close we can get in New York.

Google

The United States Geological Survey might be our best hope for determining the center of New York State. Even they admit that, because there is no generally accepted definition of a geographic center, there may be several geographic centers. Their approximate center of New York is east of Syracuse and north of Binghamton in the town of Madison!

Six miles away, in the town of Pratt's Hollow, NY, there is a United Methodist Church with a sign on the building. The sign reads Pratts Hollow Geographical Center of N.Y.S. Done! Mystery solved! They have the sign, so they win!

Google

It is safe to say that you wouldn't be wrong if you said Madison is the center of New York but if you want that Instagram picture, I'd go to Pratts Hollow, NY.

The 9 Most Unpronounceable New York Towns

Some New York towns sound like they were conjured up by Dr. Seuss.

Wow! 13 Small Upstate New York Towns That Put Their Claim to Fame on Their Welcome Signs!

For road warriors who like nothing better than to drive around the backroads and byways of Upstate New York exploring the region, there is nothing we like better than to come upon a small village or town that puts their claim to fame right up there on their "welcome sign." All of these 13 places do that. They are curious, historical, whimsical, and fascinating to those of us interested in Upstate history.

These 25 New York Towns Rank Very Best for Raising a Family

Looking for the best place in all of New York state to raise your family? When a town receives a high ranking from Niche, it means that the town is attractive for families because it has good schools and is a safe community. These are the top-ranked towns for families.