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Surveying Nevada’s as N39°19’51.33004”, W116°38’00.49883”, located within
Section 11, Township 17 North, Range 47 East, M.D.M., Lander
County, Nevada.
Heart: Establishing the Field Survey:
Geographic Center in On July 29, 2023, a
dedicated team, including
Commemoration of the Robert L. Carrington, PLS
9103, Michael Detwiler,
PLS 28273, Ryan Car-
Nevada Association of rington, and Sullivan
Detwiler, gathered at
Land Surveyors’ 50th the proposed site for a
field survey. Utilizing GPS
Anniversary. methods and OPUS pro-
cessing, the team located
the boundaries of Sec-
By: Trent J. Keenan, PLS tion 11, and Section 12,
confirming the previous
two geographic center po-
sitions marked by rebar, as
documented by CmdrMark
in 2003.
Monument Establishment:
The culmination of this surveying feat was the establishment
of a custom 16 1/2” circular stainless steel plate set in a 24”
concrete base flush to the ground on November 4, 2023. This
permanent monument solidifies the calculated coordinates as
the official geographic center of Nevada.
Inauguration Ceremony:

Introduction:
In the vast expanse of Nevada, where the rugged terrain tells
tales of history and mystery, the Nevada Association of Land
Surveyors (NALS) embarked on a monumental journey to deter-
mine and immortalize the geographic center of the state. Cele-
brating their 50th anniversary, NALS undertook a comprehensive
survey, blending historical data with cutting-edge technology to
pinpoint Nevada’s exact heart.

Background:
The project began with a
nod to history. In 1962, the
U.S. Department of Interior
Geological Survey positioned
Nevada’s geographical center
as 26 miles southeast of
Austin, coordinates N39°19’,
W119°38’. However, in
2003, the USGS revised the
location to N39°19’48.0”,
W116°37’56.0”. Seeking
conclusive evidence, NALS The setting of the geographic center monument was a momen-
decided to leverage modern tous occasion attended by key figures, including Nancy Alman-
surveying techniques to zan, PLS, 2023 NALS President, Nicholas Ariotti, PLS, 2023 NALS
settle the debate definitively. Vice President, Todd Enke, PLS, 2023 NALS Secretary, Robert
Carrington, PLS, 2023 NALS Immediate Past President, Michael
Survey Methodology: Detwiler, PLS, 2023 Lahontan Chapter President, Trent Keenan,
To determine the geographic center, the team utilized exist- PLS, 2023 Southern Chapter President, Douglas Wood, PLS,
ing NGS monuments for Nevada’s boundaries, including the 2023 Southern Chapter Treasurer, Jason Solt, PLS, 2023 Lahon-
Colorado River, for which ESRI shapefiles were employed. The tan Chapter Director, Brett Clarke, PLS, 2023 Lahontan Chap-
Trimble Business Center and Autodesk Civil 3D 2022 facilitated ter Secretary, Kevin Almeter, PLS, Ray Almanzan, PLS (retired)
the integration of Latitude and Longitude values, ensuring Heather Keenan, YSN National Secretary, Nevada State Coordi-
accurate calculations. The resulting position was identified nator, Max Bailey, Cameron Enke, Sebastian Hosinger, Tyler Solt

22 The Nevada Traverse Vol.50, No.4, 2023