The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-05-06
Population Centers from 1890 to 1880

the Civil war, when the advance was 500 miles,
while the least movement was in the decade from
1910 to 1920 when 1t was less than 10 miles. In
the 40 yea1s covered by the census records the
advance has sotaled $50 miles, an average Of
little more than three miles annually, or about
11M miles decade. That does not sound very
big, but it means lot in the development Of
the United States.
Reference was made previously to the high
southwark advance and the reason for the south
ward pull Of the last 10 years Is chiefly Califor-
nia-south as well as west-and Florida-south
as well as east. The increases In the populations
Of Texas and Oklahoma may appear also to have
had some influence but the increases in Pennsyl-
vania and New York probably offset that growth
In the southwest.
If it be asked whether the California-Florida
increase in population was greater than the
growth in Michigan and the North Atlantic
states, the answer is the technical definition of
center of population given above
An increase of 100000 persons in Los Angeles
more than $500 miles from the old center Of
population in Indiana, would counterbalance an
increase of 100000 in Detroit only couple Of
hundred miles away.
One Of the most interesting results of each
decennial census is the graphic picture which it
paints of Uncle Sans westward march across
the continent Here, in brief, Is that picture
j
of the first census, to 1880, the date Of the last
one: From the 1890 position in Maryland the
center moved in ten years almost directly west
to point about is miles west of Baltimore, and
from 1900 it continued its westward swing, dip
ping slightly to the south to point in Virginia
40 miles northwest by west of Washington. In
this decade it shifted 40 miles, the movement
being due principally to the annexation Of the
territory of Louisiana.
In the next ten years, 1910 to 1920, it reached
point about 16 miles east of Moorfeld in what
is now the state of West Virginia. Here again
there was slight southwark movement, which
was due mainly to the increasing population Of
: Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. From 1920
to 1880 the movement continued west and south
to a point aout 10 miles west-southwest of Moor
field, this being the most decided movement to
the south in any decade. The reason was the
annexation Of Florida and increasing settle
ments in the southwest, notably Alabama, Louisi-
ana, Mississippi and Arkansas.
From 1880 to 1910 the center continued west,
but slightly changed its course to the north,
reaching point 16 miles south Of Clarksburg,
W. Va. During this decade population had in
creased rapidly in the prairie states and in the
southern parts Of Michigan and Wisconsin.
From 1910 to 1850 1t moved west and slightly
south again. reaching point about % miles
southeast Of Parkersburg. W. Va, the change of
direction to the south being largely due to the
annexation Of Texas.
From 1850 to 1860 it moved west and slightly
north, reaching point 20 miles south by east
Of Chillicothe, Ohio while from 1860 to 1870 1t
moved west and sharply north, reaching a point
about 4S miles east by north Of Cincinnati. This
northward movement was due in part to the
waste and destruction in the south consequently
upon the Civil war. and in part to the fact that
the census of 1870 was defective in its enumer-
alton of the Southern people. especially Of the
newly enfranchised negro population.
In 1880 the center Of population had returned
south to nearly the latitude occupied in 1860,
being in Kentucky, Just south Of the Ohio river,
eight miles west by south Of CINCINNATI but
in $780, owing to the great increase of population
in the cities of the northwest, in the state of
Washington, and also in New England, the center
moved north to point 20 miles east of Colum-
bus, Ind.
During the decade from 1890 to 1900 it moved
west to point six miles southeast of Column
bus, Ind, the great increase in the population
of Indian Territory. Oklahoma. and Texas being
largely offset by an increase in the population
of the North Atlantic states.