Where’s the Butter!

Located just off of Interstate 90 in Southeastern South Dakota, the City of Mitchell proudly boasts “The World’s Only Corn Palace.”

Built in 1921, the current Corn Palace is actually Mitchell’s third. The popularity of the original 1892 palace, known then as “The Corn Belt Exposition”, led to the subsequent construction of larger palaces.

Although the skeleton of the Corn Palace was built using standard building materials, local artists use various colors/types of locally grown corn to decorate the exterior walls of the palace. Each year, the exterior walls are patterned to correlate with a predetermined theme. The outside murals have celebrated an array of ideas and events such as the space age, Mother Goose Rhymes, the Civil War, and even a tribute to Lewis and Clark.

Inside, the Corn Palace serves as a local civic center hosting a variety of concerts, political rallies and sporting events. The Mitchell High School “Kernels” Basketball Team utilizes the facility as their home court.

The political history of the palace is impressive. From William H. Taft to John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama, a plethora of politicians have used the palace to campaign. Former senator and 1972 Presidential candidate George McGovern is a native of Mitchell.

Perhaps the palace’s biggest draw comes during the annual Corn Palace Festival. Each fall, the festival books top musical act to perform at the Corn Palace with rides and other attractions.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Wesley Meiss.