Corn Palace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corn Palace |
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The Corn Palace exterior in 2020
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| General information | |
| Type | Multi-purpose arena/facility |
| Address | 604 North Main Street, Mitchell, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 43°42′53″N 98°01′34″W / 43.714644°N 98.026019°W |
| Current tenants | Mitchell HS Kernels (SDHSAA Basketball) Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers (NAIA Basketball) |
| Groundbreaking | 1891-92 |
| Completed | 1921 (dome and minarets added in 1937) |
| Owner | City of Mitchell |
| Management | City of Mitchell |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 26.2 m (86 ft) (flagpole) |
| Roof | 20.7 m (68 ft) (dome) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Floor area | 4,042.2 m2 (43,510 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Rapp & Rapp |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | Basketball: 3,200 Concerts: 3,250 |
The Corn Palace is a truly unique building in Mitchell, South Dakota, United States. It is often called The World's Only Corn Palace. This special place is a multi-purpose building, meaning it hosts many different events.
What makes it so unique? Its outside walls are covered in amazing art made from corn and other grains! These colorful designs are changed every single year. The Corn Palace is a very popular spot, attracting up to 500,000 visitors annually.
This famous building is a hub for the community. It hosts concerts, exciting sports games, and various exhibits. Every year, the city celebrates with the Corn Palace Festival. This festival usually takes place in late August. Other fun yearly events include the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo in July and the Corn Palace Polka Festival in September. It is also the home court for the Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers and the Mitchell High School Kernels basketball teams.
Contents
The Story of the Corn Palace
Early Days: Why It Was Built
Long ago, in the late 1800s, many towns in the Great Plains built "crop palaces." These buildings were made to show off their local farm products. They wanted to attract new people to live and work in their areas. Many towns had these grain palaces, but only the Mitchell Corn Palace still stands today.
The very first Mitchell Corn Palace was built in 1892. It was called "The Corn Belt Exposition." Its main goal was to highlight South Dakota's rich soil. It also encouraged families to move to the region. This first building was a wooden castle on Mitchell's Main Street.
How the Palace Changed Over Time
The Corn Palace has been rebuilt and updated several times. In 1905, the city rebuilt it as part of an effort to become the state capital. Then, in 1921, it was rebuilt again with a new design. This design came from a famous architectural firm called Rapp and Rapp.
A big change happened in 1937. That's when the unique onion domes and minarets were added. These features gave the Corn Palace its special look that we see today.
Keeping the Palace Safe
In 2004, the Corn Palace received some government support. This funding helped improve security at the building. Later, in 2007, more funds were used for a new camera system. This system was helpful for important visits, like when Barack Obama came in 2008. It also helped protect the new statue of Cornelius, the Corn Palace mascot, which was added in 2009.
The domes on the Palace got a makeover in 2015. They were shaking in strong winds, so they were updated. The new parts are made from strong architectural metals.
How the Corn Murals Are Made
The Artists and Their Amazing Work
Every year, the outside of the Corn Palace gets a brand new look! Local artists create fresh designs for the corn murals. These designs follow a new theme each time.
Many talented artists have contributed to this tradition. For example, Oscar Howe, a Native American artist from South Dakota, designed the panels from 1948 to 1971. Calvin Schultz created the murals from 1977 to 2002. Cherie Ramsdell designed them from 2003 to 2017. Since 2018, students from Dakota Wesleyan University have been creating the designs. Redecorating the Palace costs about $175,000 each year.
From Corn to Art: The "Corn-by-Numbers" Process
To make these incredible murals, local farmers grow twelve natural shades of corn. These different colors are essential for the artwork.
Artists first draw their designs. Then, these drawings are put onto special black paper. This paper has codes that match the corn colors. It's like a giant "corn-by-numbers" pattern! This pattern shows exactly where each colored corn cob should go. Workers then split the corn cobs in half. They nail them to the building's exterior. It takes about 1.5 million nails and 325,000 ears of corn to complete the artwork!
Past Corn Palace Designs
Here are some examples of the amazing corn art that has decorated the Corn Palace over the years:
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1964 - South Dakota Scenes
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2000 - Millennium Corn
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2003 - Scenic South Dakota
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2004 - Lewis & Clark
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2005 - Life on the Farm
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2008 - Everyday Heroes
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2011 - American Pride
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2016 - Rock of Ages
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2020 - South Dakota Home Grown
