The Small Town: Rugby, North Dakota Population 2,876 (2010) The
Claim to Fame: The Geographic Center of North America Some
claims to fame require some effort, such as a state
championships in basketball or building the world’s largest
buffalo or the largest quilt. Other claims to fame are just dumb
luck. Such is the case with Rugby, North Dakota, the geographic
center of North America. Rugby just happened to be in the right
place at the right time. Or was it? There are those who say
that, in spite of the big stone obelisk and all the t-shirts and
post cards, this particular king has no clothes, that the actual
geographic center of North America is actually in Balta or
Orrin, North Dakota. Or out in the middle of nowhere in the
middle of a slough. Depending on how you define North America,
the center of the continent may actually even be in South
Dakota. Pierre, South Dakota once made the claim in the 80’s and
Rugby quickly threatened them with a law suit. In Rugby’s
defense, the real experts say that pinpoint