The “4 Corners’” lesser known, less popular cousin, few know about the three states that meet in the Midwest. Almost everyone knows about the “4 Corners” in the Southwest, but I had never heard of the “3 Corners” until I researched things to do for my last cross-country road trip. It’s where the states of Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas meet, and you can effortlessly bounce between the three, never knowing where one state ends and another one begins.
Truthfully… it’s not too impressive. It’s fun to stop at because it’s right off Interstate 44, but it simply doesn’t compare to the Four Corners National Monument. It’s tucked a bit back into the woods, down a bumpy and worn gravel road, and almost seems forgotten. It’s another roadside attraction that you would easily and sadly miss if you didn’t know it was there. I’ve passed it twice myself without knowing it.
Also, the history of the area makes it more worth a stop. The location was established in 1857 by an 800-member expedition, which started at the southwest corner of Missouri and began walking north. The journey took 6-months and was comprised of soldiers, teamsters (handlers and trainers), cooks, astronomers, and surveyors. The stone marker (now covered in poorly done graffiti) was constructed in 1938 by the National Youth Administration to commemorate this journey.
Beware – we had some trouble finding it, as we got turned around and bounced between Kansas and Missouri for a minute. Our GPS was correct, but the turn down the gravel road appears a bit more abruptly than expected. Also – it’s not something I’d recommend doing at night, particularly if you are alone or just two women, like us. It’s far too isolated of an area even though it appears right off of the interstate.
Overall, it was fun and noteworthy to “stand in three states at the same time”, however, once you’ve stood in the center spot and taken your pictures, it’s pretty much time to move on. While a quick pit stop, it’s definitely worth it if you’re passing the state line between Missouri and Oklahoma on I-44 and have 15 to 20 minutes to spare. Come stand in three states at one time!
