After we left Desmet, we headed to Mitchell, SD to see the Corn Palace. On the way, we were driving through Huron, SD and saw the World's Largest Pheasant. Of course we had to stop.
Finally we arrived at the Corn Palace. Everyone we talked to who had traveled out this way told us we had to stop and see this. So we did. It was unique.
The World's Only Corn Palace is Mitchell's premier tourist attraction. Some 500,000 tourists come from around the nation each year to see the uniquely designed corn murals. The city's first Corn Palace was build as a way to prove to the world that South Dakota had a healthy agricultural climate.
The Palace is redecorated each year with naturally colored corn and other grains and native grasses to make it “the agricultural show-place of the world”. We currently use 13 different colors or shades of corn to decorate the Corn Palace: red, brown, black, blue, white, orange, calico, yellow and now we have green corn! A different theme is chosen each year, and murals are designed to reflect that theme. Ear by ear the corn is nailed to the Corn Palace to create a scene. The decorating process usually starts in late May with the removal of the rye and dock. The corn murals are stripped at the end of August and the new ones are completed by the first of October.
When we saw it, they were still in the process of removing last year's theme off of the building. The theme was sports.
Of course we had to take a picture with the sign.
And have some popccorn. It was really good. But really buttery. Sam actually got sick to his stomach because he ate too much.
Look how cute they've decorated the town with corn symbols.
And finally, the last few pictures before we say goodbye to Mitchell SD and the Corn Palace.
Now we're off to our first of many western town experiences tomorrow.
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