Magnetic Declination Values for the Fifty State Highpoints by Richard L. Carey

The magnetic declination values at the summit of each of the fifty state highpoints is listed in a column in the database table. The declination is, of course, listed on the topographic map for each highpoint, but since some of the maps are more than thirty years old I have determined the current declination using the program GEOMAGIX which is available free from the National Geomagnetic Information Center in Denver, Colorado. This program runs under Windows 95 and can be downloaded as a compressed file from the web site .

To run the program the latitude and longitude of each highpoint to the nearest minute was entered and then using numerical models the program determines the latest value in degrees east or west. In many cases the values have changed three degrees from what is on the map and for four highpoints the declination has shifted from east to west. These changes are due to the fact that the magnetic pole is moving an average of 11.6 KM per year in a northwesterly direction. From 1973 to late 1983 the movement was about 120 KM. There is an interesting web page showing a map of the pole's movement from 1831 to 1994 on the web site of the Geological Survey of Canada .

Another good article at the web site of the Search and Rescue Society of British Columbia is at: http://sarbc.org/pole.html. There was an article in Professional Surveyor magazine called "Tracking the North Magnetic Pole" by Larry Newitt.

And finally, if you want to dig further on the origins of the compass go to an article by Associate Professor Truls Lynne Hansen of the University of Tromso in Norway. The table below shows the date of the map, the declination on the map, and the latest declination derived from the GEOMAGIXprogram.

Table of Fifty State Highpoint Magnetic Declinations

State Map Date Map Declination Geomagix Declination
AK 1954 26 deg E 23.2 deg E
AL 1976 1.5 deg E 2.2 deg W
AR 1966 7 deg E 3.4 deg E
AZ 1983 13.5 deg E 12.7 deg E
CA 1993 14.5 deg E 14.6 deg E
CO 1967 14 deg E 11.4 deg E
CT 1969 13 deg W 14.2 deg W
DE 1993 11.5 deg W 12.0 deg W
FL 1993 0.5 deg W 1.4 deg W
GA 1988 3 deg W 4.1 deg W
HI 1982 11 deg E 10.2 deg E
IA 1972 7.5 deg E 4.6 deg E
ID 1967 18 deg E 15.6 deg E
IL 1978 4 deg E 0.2 deg W
IN 1992 4 deg W 4.4 deg W
KS 1980 12 deg E 9.0 deg E
KY 1979 1 deg W 5.3 deg W
LA 1986 5 deg E 3.1 deg E
MA 1973 14.5 deg W 14.7 deg W
MD 1967 5 deg W 8.7 deg W
ME 1988 19.5 deg W 18.7 deg W
MI 1985 1.5 deg W 3.3 deg W
MN 1986 0.5 deg W 1.1 deg W
MO 1968 5 deg E 1.0 deg E
MS 1984 1.5 deg E 0.6 deg W
MT 1986 15 deg E 14.3 deg E
NC 1946 1 deg W 5.5 deg W
ND 1973 13 deg E 10.7 deg E
NE 1991 10.5 deg E 10.4 deg E


State Map Date Map Declination Geomagix Declination
NH 1982 16.5 deg W 16.6 deg W
NJ 1983 12.5 deg W 13.2 deg W
NM 1963 13 deg E 10.5 deg E
NV 1987 15.5 deg E 15.0 deg E
NY 1979 14 deg W 14.9 deg W
OH 1972 2 deg W 5.5 deg W
OK 1968 12 deg E 9.4 deg E
OR 1980 20 deg E 18.2 deg E
PA 1973 6 deg W 9.2 deg W
RI 1974 14.5 deg W 15.2 deg W
SC 1969 1 deg E 4.9 deg W
SD 1954 14 deg E 10.5 deg E
TN 1964 0.5 deg W 4.5 deg W
TX 1973 11 deg E 9.7 deg E
UT 1965 16 deg E 13.5 deg E
VA 1978 3.5 deg W 6.3 deg W
VT 1983 15.5 deg W 15.8 deg W
WA 1971 21.5 deg E 18.8 deg E
WI 1981 1.5 deg E 0.8 deg W
WV 1970 5.5 deg W 8.5 deg W
WY 1993 13.5 deg E 13.7 deg E