Just when I thought it was safe to stop writing about corn, we happened upon Mitchell, South Dakota.  Mitchell boasts The Corn Palace; the Largest/Only Palace/Arena Facility made from – wait for it – Corn!!!  Ah, corn.  Not just a food, not just a fuel alternative*, it’s also good for building murals.

Built in 1892 as a symbol of the fertility of the soil of South Dakota, it was also thought to be an attractive advert for those wishing to move to the state, especially around the area of construction.  The population of South Dakota is just over 800,000, so you be the judge of how that worked out.  Imagine how little it would have been had there been no palace.  Regardless, the building itself is an intricate piece of work, and Kenny Rogers is playing a concert inside the arena later this month.  Now that’s worth it! 

*Gas here is about $0.63 a litre. Or $0.54 if you get E85…  made from corn.