A Journey to the Center of the World



Before you get a shovel and start digging to China, you might want to pack your bags and fly to California, because that’s where the official center of the world is. The little town of Felicity holds the title of “Center of the World.” That’s because the town’s founder and mayor, Jacques-AndrĂ© Istel said so. He believes it so strongly that he had a 21-foot-tall pyramid built on the exact spot, marked by a bronze disk set into the pyramid’s floor. Felicity — named after Istel’s wife Felicia — has two residents: Mr. and Mrs. Istel. There are, however, several attractions in Felicity, including a 3D bronze sculpture of Michelangelo’s Arm of God that acts as a sundial. The arm points to another attraction — the Hill of Prayer, a small mound built by moving 150,000 tons of earth and crowned by a church. Istel also managed to salvage a 25-feet-high section of the original stairway of the Eiffel Tower and installed it near the parking lot. The most unique attraction in Felicity is the Museum of History in Granite, consisting of 18 granite monuments, each 100 feet long, dedicated to various subjects that include the History of Humanity, the History of Arizona, the Marine Corps Korean War Memorial, the History of French Aviation, and the History of the French Foreign Legion, among many others. There is also a Wall for Ages where visitors can have their names engraved for $300. The Museum of History in Granite is alone worth visiting.

 

A Sun Dial Featuring Michelangelo's Arm Of God

Aerial view of Felicity’s monuments

A section of the original staircase of the Eiffel Tower

The church on Hill of Prayer

The Museum of History in Granite. The walls are engineered to last 4,000 years.