MITCHELL, S.D. (Mitchell Now) – Long before Mitchell became famous for its corn-covered walls and quirky roadside appeal, agriculture was the thread that stitched the community together. The Corn Palace — with its towering domes and changing murals — stands as a proud reminder that this city’s identity has always been rooted in the fields surrounding it.
Built in 1892, the original Corn Palace wasn’t designed as a tourist trap. It was a celebration — a showcase of the region’s rich farmland meant to attract settlers and business. Farmers hauled in wagonloads of corn, grains, and grasses, and artists used them to decorate the building’s exterior, turning agriculture into art. The tradition stuck. Over a century later, the Corn Palace remains a symbol of small-town pride and Midwestern resilience.
Each year, a new mural theme transforms the building. Locally grown corn in a variety of colors — from deep maroon to golden yellow — is meticulously placed by hand, nail by nail. The process takes months, relying on local farmers and volunteers to supply and prepare the crops. What many visitors don’t realize is that the corn used for decoration isn’t wasted. Once the season ends, much of it is recycled into livestock feed, completing the circle between field and facade.
Agriculture continues to power Mitchell’s economy. Davison County is part of one of the most productive grain belts in the country, and many of the same families who farmed these lands generations ago still do today. From the annual Corn Palace Festival to the local ag expos, the city’s events calendar reflects that enduring connection to the soil.
As technology reshapes farming — with drones, precision irrigation, and sustainable practices — Mitchell continues to balance progress with tradition. And while the murals may change every year, the message behind them never does: this town was built on corn, and its story is still being written one harvest at a time.