Thursday, July 12 – We are in Mitchell, SD, at the R & R Campground. It's a great over-night stop, especially when the temperatures are in the 90's. Full hook-ups, 50 amp electric, gravel and some concrete sites, gravel streets, swimming pool (shared with the motel), shade trees, and picnic table all for $17+ tax. The Hostess was very nice. She greeted us with two ice cold bottles of water. Great!
Site 306
Looking right.
Looking left.
We stopped in Mitchell, SD, to see the famous Corn Palace. A unique American folk art icon dedicated to the hard working farmers in this area.
Originally built in 1892, early settlers displayed their agricultural bounty on the building's exterior to prove the fertility of the soil and to attract immigrant farmers to settle here. Since then, each fall a festival is planned to celebrate agriculture and the productivity of the people.
Saluting Youth Activities
Each year, a new decorating theme is chosen and the outside of the Corn Palace is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grains. Over the summer, 3,000 bushels of rye, oats and sour dock are tied in bundles and attached to the building. When the corn crop is ready, roughly 275,000 ears of corn are sawed in half lengthwise and nailed to the building following patterns created by local artists.
All summer long, you can watch this unique redecorating process being completed. While we were here, college age boys were up on the scaffold nailing straw bundles to the front of the building. The entire front is covered and murals run the entire length of the building. It's a pretty amazing sight.
Trimming the decorations.
The Corn Palace serves as a multi-use center for the community and region. Inside the Corn Palace is a store that sells just about everything with a “corn" theme. Of course there's popcorn balls, flavored popcorn, salt & pepper shakers, corn on the cob, t-shirts, and more, all available at the Corn-cessions Stand.
Recognize these guys?
The Palace is lighted at night for another unique experience. We went back around dark. It looked nice all lit up. Downtown Mitchell, SD, like many small towns, seems to be desolate with the Palace showing one of the few signs of life. But we felt comfortable walking around the area, took some pictures, and headed home.
This one is to show our girls how much fun we are having…Oh Brother!
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day!
