The Center of the Northwest

On October 5, 2021 my spouse and I journeyed north to between St Germain and Sayner. Our idea was to enjoy a few days the Northwoods offered for fall color, plus do a little hiking and some biking. On the way north, we made a couple detours.  Well, I made the detour decisions, much to the chagrin of the wife. The second stop was at Timm's Hill to climb the tower and view the colors. It turned out we were probably a few days late as the color, while enjoyable, was beyond the peak. It was crowded, however, showing the attraction the highest point in Wisconsin can pose in the fall. The first stop, on what was a nice, mostly sunny mid-day adventure was to the center of the Northwest quadrant of the earth, which is the 45 x 90 location in Marathon County.  We were at one of only four places on earth, and one of two in the Northern Hemisphere.

Detail of 45 x 90 Marker
Appropriately set in Wausau Red Granite

For a few years I have been wanting to stop at this unique location, and the thought occurred to me this would be the perfect trip to visit the 45 degree x 90 degree geographical marker located in Poniatowski, WI.  Poniatowski is an unincorporated hamlet, and I suspect this is the only thing of interest in that hamlet. If we went through the hamlet on our way to the marker, I must have blinked.  For those desirous of exact information, the marker is actually located in the town of Reitbrock (as is Poniatowski). My wife thought this visit a waste of time.  I don't think she appreciates the significance in the 45 x 90 maker. As a trained geographer, it is right up my meridian. 

One side of Commemorative Coin

While England has the Greenwich Meridian, here in Wisconsin this point marks the half way spot from that Meridan to the International Date Line, or 180 degrees longitude. I think that is appropriate since England thinks of the themselves as the center of the universe (the whole sun never sets on the British Empire thing), and Wisconsin, is well, a seemingly inconsequential state in the Midwest United States known for cheese, and the Green Bay Packers. As an aside, the Packers are the only NFL team to not have played a game in London, (the center of the Universe) England. Why? Because their home games are vital to the local economy, and the NFL allows a team to not opt out of a home game. So, why not as a "visiting" team?  Well, the Packers have a strong, loyal fan base that will travel, not to mention a fan base that crosses the ocean blue.  This leads to the issue that no "home" team wants the "visiting" team to have more fans in the stands. Enough of the digression. 

Opposite side of Coin
I am a member of the 45x90 Club

The 45 degrees marks the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole, or the place where Santa lives. I am not sure why the wife did not find this of any significance, I mean how often can one say they were at the exact spot that measures the center, yes the center, of the NORTHWEST part of the EARTH?  I don't think it occurs too often, and so far for me, only once in my lifetime. No other place on earth can make that claim. Yes, there are other points: one in the Pacific off the south coast of Chili; one in the Indian Ocean, off the southwest cost of Australia, and one in the mountains of China. But, this one is significant as it is the only one easily accessible.  I suppose she could argue that there is only one, yes only one, 43 0'35" N, 89 17"12 W on the face of the earth, too.  Those coordinates happen to be our house. 45 X 90 just did not do much for her. Get rid of the N and W, and there would be four locations on earth.  But, 45 and 90 tend to hold special meaning, due to geometry. 

The Final Passage to the Marker
Appropriately in the midst of a Corn Field

It was a nice sunny day when we arrived, and appropriately the marker is in the midst of a cornfield. How much more Wisconsin can it get?  The corn is used to feed cows, and the cows are used to produce cheese. The marker sits on private land, and for years there was a sign pointing out the location from the road, about a 1/4 mile away.  The original sign was placed in 1969, and so for decades it was a sign distant from the marker. In 2018, however, an easement was acquired from the landowner and a path along the edge of the field, and then turn up to the marker (among the corn, was constructed. The narrow walk from up to the path gives a distinct flavor with a terminated vista of the mature corn that was drying out and now ripe for harvest. Varied kiosks provide information on the significance of the marker and how it came into being. Not all was perfect with the original, circa 1969, sign, that was a 1/4 mile away from the marker near the road.

Information Kiosk on the 45x90 Points on the Earth

The first sign was mis-titled calling it a geological marker. Geologically, there is nothing unique about this location, but geographically there is. A sign notes that locating this point, and highlighting it, was the brain child of John Gesicki, who owned a small store and tavern in Poniatowski. John had a book, still in use, where visitors to the marker could stop by his store, and enter their name in the book.  When John died his wife took over the store and retained the book until she retired in 2003. As I think about it, it was a masterful move of marketing by John Gesicki.  He got people to view, at that time over corn, the site of the 45 x 90 marker, and then they went to his tavern to sign the book, and perhaps get a beer, and maybe a sandwich.  After John's widow retired the log book was taken over by the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitor's Bureau. After stopping at the marker you can go the Wausau Visitors Center in downtown Wausau, and they will give you a commemorative coin and you can enter your name in the log book.  However, with COVID-19, they ask that people contact them, send a few dollars for shipping and they will mail the coin and enter your name in the log book for you.  Hence, my plan of stopping at the Visitor Center upon our trip home did not need to occur. 

Information kiosk on John Gesicki

To say that my wife was as giddy as a school girl seeing her favorite rock star when the coins arrived in the mail a couple weeks ago would be a large overstatement. To put it another way, the Land Girl was not a Fan Girl of the 45 x 90 marker, much less its commemorative coin. She was about as unimpressed as watching paint dry. I handed her coin to her, which she quickly handed back to me. She thought the few dollars for the cost to mail the coins was a waste of money.  However, how many persons can say they have the commemorative coin which celebrates your having visited the exact center of the Northwest part of the earth?  I know of no one else, but me and my wife, who has visited this unique place on earth. Although I doubt this comes up in everyday conversation. I suspect, if I said to a friend, "Hey, I visited the 45 x 90 geographical marker of the exact center of the Northwest part of the earth, I would get a quizzical look. I mean, most people are probably not as aware of latitude and longitude as I am, unless of course, you also studied geography, where it is of some importance. I know this because I tried it out on one of my daughters-in-law, and i got that quizzical look.  When I explained it unique nature, she commented that it may have some interest. Polite people would probably pull a Marie Barone response and say, "That's nice." Others may ask whey they should care. 

Me at the Marker

As uninteresting as this may be to my spouse, I find it equally interesting, We were not the only people to stop and see the marker on that beautiful fall day, which I think was a surprise to my wife. The marker is located just off the aptly named Meridian Road. I could have spent the afternoon there basking in the glory of being at the center of the Northwest part of the world. But I sensed that my wife, as is he wont, started to get impatient after I took some photos, and her one of me lying by the marker. So we headed out, for the next destination, Timm's Hill.  For a few, brief, but delectable moments, I can say I was at the center of the Northwest part of the globe. 

Photos by author, except last photo by my wife