The idea of being unique is something that holds precedence in the hearts of many people and the idea transcends where we live. Our cities are often a direct reflection of who we are and we try our best to be the inventor of something never before seen to make a name for ourselves. One city begun their journey 121 years ago in 1892. Mitchell, South Dakota is the home to the world’s only Corn Palace.
Over the years, the city has continued a tradition that now draws over 500,000 tourists to the area. What is it about the corns or the palace that causes people to continuously visit?
Director of the Corn Palace, Mark Schilling, weighs in on what has caused the business to run for so long and why his city is in fact unique.
What was the reason for using corn? In an interview with The Colbert Report, Schilling says: “Corn is amazing, if you get the pun there. The corn, maze; maze is the ancient word for corn.” The Corn Palace, as it is famously known, however, is not just an establishment for highlighting the great agricultural production of corn in the city. It is now home to local basketball games, proms, banquets and even graduations.
One impact of the Corn Palace is that while serving the local community as well as tourists, it has managed to maintain the initial quest of its inventors: being unique to Mitchell, South Dakota.