Qualla: The Corn Palace

The Corn Palace: Introduction

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Leif Rogers, CC BY-SA 4.0. In Mitchell, South Dakota, stands a building covered entirely in corn. The Corn Palace is a multipurpose arena whose exterior is decorated with elaborate murals made from thousands of ears of colored corn, grain, and grasses. The murals are stripped and redesigned every year around a new theme - recent years have featured wildlife, history, and agricultural celebration. The current building, constructed in 1921 with Moorish-inspired domes and minarets, is the third Corn Palace; the tradition began in 1892 when Mitchell's businessmen built the first corn-decorated building to promote the region's agricultural productivity. The Corn Palace hosts basketball games, concerts, and events year-round, but its primary purpose is civic promotion - proving that South Dakota grows really good corn, and lots of it.

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Image: Leif Rogers | CC BY-SA 4.0

The Corn Palace: The Tradition

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0. The Corn Palace tradition began in 1892, when Mitchell was competing with other towns to become the commercial center of the region. Building a corn-decorated palace was a promotional strategy - come see what we can grow here. The first two palaces were temporary; the current bui...

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Image: Runner1928 | CC BY-SA 4.0

The Corn Palace: The Architecture

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit CGP Grey, CC BY 2.0. The current Corn Palace was designed by Rapp and Rapp, the theater architecture firm that created many of America's grandest movie palaces. The building is exuberantly exotic - onion domes, minarets, Moorish arches, and ornate trim. It looks like it belongs in Istanbul, not the G...

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Image: CGP Grey | CC BY 2.0

The Corn Palace: The Murals

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit craig Cloutier from New York, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0. Creating the Corn Palace murals is a community endeavor. Each year, a local artist designs murals around a chosen theme. Workers then attach corn and grain to large panels using nails - ears are cut in half lengthwise and nailed flat side down. Different corn varieties provide th...

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Image: craig Cloutier from New York, United States | CC BY-SA 2.0

The Corn Palace: The Festival

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Skvader, CC BY-SA 4.0. The annual Corn Palace Festival, held each August/September, celebrates the unveiling of the new murals. The festival has featured entertainment since its earliest days - John Philip Sousa played the Corn Palace in 1904. Over the years, performers have included Lawrence Welk, And...

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Image: Skvader | CC BY-SA 4.0

The Corn Palace: Visiting the Corn Palace

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0. The Corn Palace is located at 604 North Main Street in Mitchell, South Dakota. The exterior can be viewed 24/7. Interior tours are available daily; admission is free. The gift shop sells corn-themed souvenirs. The Corn Palace Festival is typically held in late August or early Sep...

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Image: Runner1928 | CC BY-SA 4.0