“A math professor named James Hamilton calculated the geographic center”

If you are looking for a quick and unusual stop in Tennessee this summer, visit the geographic center of the state in Murfreesboro. A small stone obelisk marks the exact center point of Tennessee and gives visitors an easy photo opportunity with a bit of state history behind it.

The monument sits along Old Lascassas Highway near Middle Tennessee State University. It is simple and easy to miss if you are not looking for it, but that is part of what makes it interesting. You can stop for a few minutes, take a photo, read the plaque, and say you stood in the middle of Tennessee.

The marker was placed in 1976, but the location became important much earlier. In the early 1800s, Tennessee leaders wanted the state capital to be as close to the center of the state as possible. A math professor named James Hamilton calculated the geographic center while lawmakers debated where the permanent capital should be located. Although Nashville was eventually chosen as the capital, the center point remained an important reference location.

The monument itself is an obelisk, similar in shape to the Washington Monument, though much smaller. A plaque on the front explains the significance of the site and its role in Tennessee history.

This is not a destination where you will spend an entire day, but it works well as a short stop during a summer drive through Middle Tennessee. It is also close to other places worth visiting in Murfreesboro, including Stones River National Battlefield and the downtown square.