Shortly after the U.S. Geological Survey determined in 1931 that a point near Rugby, N.D., is the center of North America, two volunteers erected a 15-foot obelisk in town.
The location of the monument was 15 miles northeast near the intersection of two highways, U.S. Highway 2 and North Dakota Highway 3, where more motorists can see it. When U.S. 2 expanded to four lanes in 1971, the obelisk was moved a short distance away.