Center of Population

Center of Population

Moving Westward

The Bureau of the Census of the U. S. Department of Commerce has announced that for over 40 years the State of Virgini was the geographical “center of population” of the United States. This period covers ithe censuses taken from 1810 to 1850 inclusive.

In 1810 the center was in Virginia 40 miles northwest by west from Washington, D. C. In 1850 it had moved northwest to 23 miles southeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia, which state at that time wras part of Virginia.

Frem 1860 to 1880 the center was located either in southern Ohio or just across the state line in Kentucky. From 1890 up tt and including the 1940 census the center has been in Indiana and slowly moving westward. The total westward movement from 1790 to 1940 was 602 miles. The total southward movement in this time was 22.5 miles.

The term “center of population,’ as used by the Census Bureau, is that point which may be considered the center of gravity of the United States, in other words, the point upon which the United States would balance, if it were a rigid plane without weight and the population distributed ■thereon, with each individual assumed to have equal weight and to exert an influence on * a central point proportional to his distance from the point.

The exact location of the new population center will not be determined until after compilations Lasel on the result of the 17th Deeennjaj Census have been made. _ This census will be taken during April, 1950. The accurate counting of every person including newborn babes will help to establish the new center of population. You, Mr. and Mrs. Virginia, are urged to cooperate.

been responsible for large reductions in yield.

Fenne says the seed may be treated several weeks before planting, if it is stored in a dry place out of the reach of animals.