The middle of somewhere: Finding the Geographical Centers of the Illinois Valley

Ever wonder where the exact center of the Illinois Valley is?

A geographic center is an important reference point used by geographers and surveyors to determine accurate latitude and longitude measurements. In many counties, that center is often located near the county seat, although not always directly within a city.

In La Salle and Bureau counties, the county seats of Ottawa and Princeton are relatively close to their geographic centers. In Putnam County, however, the county seat of Hennepin sits farther from the county’s center point than the neighboring counties.

In La Salle County, the geographic center is located at 41°20′42″N, 88°53′20″W, about three-quarters of a mile north of the La Salle County Highway Department near Naplate. That location is on private land.

A view of the La Salle County geographic center looking west on Monday, March 30, 2026 north of Naplate. The center point is located at 41°20′42″N, 88°53′20″W, about three-quarters of a mile north of the La Salle County Highway Department near Naplate. The location is on private land. (Scott Anderson)

Bureau County’s geographic center is located about 1,000 feet south of the intersection of Backbone Road and 1800 North Avenue, 3.8 miles northwest of Princeton. Its exact coordinates are 41°24′14.8″N, 89°31′43.3″W. That location is on private land.

A view of the Bureau County geographic center looking north on Monday, March 30, 2026 near Princeton. The center of the county is located about 1,000 feet south of the intersection of Backbone Road and 1800 North Avenue, approximately 3.8 miles northwest of Princeton. Its exact coordinates are 41°24′14.8″N, 89°31′43.3″W. The location is on private land. (Scott Anderson)

In Putnam County, the geographic center lies at 41°12′18″N, 89°17′10″W, about one-quarter mile west of the intersection of Hattons Road and County Road 700 North, or about 1.6 miles south of the unincorporated community of Florid. That location is on private land.

A view of the Putnam County geographic center looking west on Monday, March 30, 2026 near Florid. The center point lies at 41°12′18″N, 89°17′10″W, about one-quarter mile west of the intersection of Hattons Road and County Road 700 North, or about 1.6 miles south of the unincorporated community of Florid. That location is on private land. (Scott Anderson)

When all three county centers are combined, the geographic center of the Illinois Valley falls on the shore of the Illinois River, about 1.8 miles west of the Illinois Route 89 Bridge near Spring Valley. Coordinates are 41.318304, -89.235171. Trees, wildlife, river views and more surround the area.

The point lies on land owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and is accessible from the Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail west of Spring Valley.

Data for the geographic centers was obtained through the Bureau County Assessor’s Office and the United States Census Bureau county shapefile maps.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1JN9MBbhOj8cZTAD_fogy-tBfFERNQNg&ll=41.32364153126133%2C-89.298064092575&z=13

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