I have found my thoughts turning to popcorn and corn a lot lately. In my musings I was reminded of a building that is located only an hour away from where I grew up on the plains of South Dakota. This amazing building is decorated on the outside with corn, other grains and prairie grasses. The Corn Palace is located in Mitchell, South Dakota and has been in existence in various forms for over 100 years. In 1892 the small community of Mitchell decided to build a corn palace to show the world that South Dakota had a healthy agricultural climate. In 1905 a new palace was built, but a few years later it was decided that the third and present building should be constructed out of steel and concrete to make it permanent. It was completed in 1921. The building is not just a tourist attraction. It is used for trade shows, stage shows, meetings, banquets, graduations of the local high school and university, and many basketball games.

Each year the building is redecorated with corn murals based on a theme chosen by the Corn Palace Festival Committee. At present they use 13 colors or shades of corn: red, brown, black, blue, white, orange, calico, yellow, and green. In creating the murals, whole ears of corn are nailed or stapled to the outside wall with the various shades of the corn and other grains creating a mural depicting various scenes all around the building. This year’s theme is “Through the Ages” and the murals depict various modes of transportation such as an airplane, sailboats, a bicycle, a hot air balloon or a train. And it is all done primarily with ears of corn.

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