Rugby’s longtime claim to be the geographic center of North America, and the publicity generated from it, remain untouched and without real challenge after events of last week.

A similar trademark held by a Robinson Bar was officially surrendered. Hanson’s Bar in Robinson filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office April 4 to surrender its claim to the Geographical Center of North America trademark, which was snapped up in 2016 after the Rugby Chamber of Commerce inadvertently let it lapse.

The Rugby Chamber issued a statement Friday, saying the dispute over the trademark “has been resolved in a manner satisfactory to both the Rugby Chamber and NFNP (Hanson’s Bar). As a result of that resolution, NFNP has both ended its use of the mark and acknowledge the Rugby Chamber’s rights in the mark going forward from the date of the agreement. The parties are pleased to have reached on amicable resolution of their differences.”

Rugby regained its trademark registration for the Geographical Center of North America last August, having left it lapse in 2009. Over the last 80 years, Rugby has taken pride in being known as the Geographical Center of North America. It stakes its claim on a U.S. Geological Survey report in 1931 that deemed Pierce County as center of the continent. A monument erected in 1932 stands at the intersection of U.S. Highway 2 and N.D. Highway 3 in Rugby.

Robinson’s claim to the geographical center came from research showing when the Caribbean is included, the center of North America falls near the Kidder County town.

At first, the issue seemed contentious, but it appears that this resolution is amicable enough an preserves the important designation for Rugby, which relies on the appeal to attract visitors to the handsome monument.

Interestingly a third party is now vying for similar recognition, only without trying to strip Rugby of anything. The town of Center leans on the research of a New York professor, who recorded coordinates that identified a spot four miles north of Center as the center. Schmidt said Center is working to record its trademark as “THE Center – Just Ask the Scientists.”

Center plans a plaque and to operate separate of the Rugby claim – not a competitive one. This approach is less contentious and should encroach on no one’s rights or their marketing efforts.

Minot Daily News is happy to see a resolution to this issue that keeps Rugby’s claim and designation intact and without ugly litigation.

Best of luck to all parties. Anything with the potential to attract visitors to our part of the state and country is a good thing.