MITCHELL, S.D. (KELO) — A popular tourist attraction and events center is celebrating a century at its current spot on Mitchell’s Main Street.
Billed as “The World’s Only Corn Palace”, the facility has played host to countless visitors and events since opening in 1921.
Troy Magnuson knows the corn palace inside and out.
“The best I can recollect I’ve done over 8,000 tours,” Corn Palace Gift Shop Manager Troy Magnuson said.
Magnuson is a 35-year employee of the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce.
From managing the gift shop across the street to leading people through the palace hallways, he’s picked up many pieces of Corn Palace history over the decades.
The first two corn palaces in Mitchell were wooden structures, built to celebrate harvest.
Magnuson says both buildings became too small.
Talks of a third Corn Palace came about in the 1910s.
“Mitchell was growing so fast as a community at that time that the city council was very forward thinking. Instead of building a separate corn palace building and an events center, they combined the two so you only had the maintenance and upkeep on one building,” Magnuson said.
That decision stood the test of time.
In fact, a mural highlighting the current facility’s 100 years can be seen on the side of the Corn Palace.
“The world that we live in it seems like things get replaced whenever they start to get old so having buildings that are 100 years old that are still being used and they’re completely functional seems to be pretty rare, so I think it’s pretty phenomenal that it’s still available to us and that we are here every day and can still have events,” Corn Palace Assistant Director Nick Bakhtiari said.
From basketball games, to campaign stops, to concerts, the Corn Palace has hosted a variety of events throughout the years.
“Patty Loveless, the Oakridge Boys have been here a couple of times. I got to work both of those,” Magnuson said.
The Corn Palace still holds its festival each year.
Staff want to shine a brighter light on agriculture.
“It started as a celebration of agriculture in South Dakota and a grain palace. We want to bring that ag component back. I’m making, I should say, an intended time to bring as part of the festival, agriculture back, so that means exhibits from gardens, tractors, and bring that ag focus back to the Corn Palace,” Corn Palace Director Dough Greenway said.
Whether it’s the festival or a different event, Magnuson will be here as more memories are made.
“I’m the luckiest human being alive. I tell the kids that work for us in the gift shop every summer that I get to come to work every day for a job that I love. When you can say that it’s not a job. This building is a part of me and I’m honored to work here.
That’s why the man who’s given more than 8,000 tours, isn’t even close to being done yet.
While the current building is marking 100 years, the Corn Palace in Mitchell was established in 1892.
The Link LonkFebruary 10, 2021 at 11:17AM
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Eye on KELOLAND: History of the Corn Palace - KELOLAND.com
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