Great American Road Trip: The Corn Palace

by Jamie Rhein on

It took three trips through South Dakota before we made it to The Corn Palace, a mecca of sorts in Mitchell, a town that seems as if it might be in the middle of nowhere. The middle of nowhere is a significant detail. Back in 1892, settlers to South Dakota wanted to showcase the harvest bounty of the state and attract people to the area.

If you’ve driven through South Dakota in this decade–it’s a favorite of ours for a Great American Road Trip, something we do each summer, one thing that’s evident is that there are expanses of land between towns. Imagine what 1892 must have looked like. Nothing but land for miles and miles and miles. No gas stations. No houses. No truck stops. Nothing. There wasn’t even a Mount Rushmore.

When the first settlers fashioned a building here out of panels of ears of corn and grains grown in the fertile soil of South Dakota, they probably didn’t imagine that their “The Corn Belt Exposition” would become the ground work for an explosion of gift shops, restaurants and every other touristy schlock a person can think of. Schlock, however, can be fabulous.

If you look beyond the excesses of “stuff” a person can buy in Mitchell, the passion and fortitude of South Dakota is evident in what The Corn Palace is today.

The current building was built in 1921, and the Moorish-style domes and minarets added in 1937. Originally, the building was made of wood, and looked more like a castle. It was also located on another spot in town.

Throughout the structural changes and new location, each year new murals are made of ears of corn and grains. The murals follow a theme and are created by local artists. Last year’s theme, the one we saw, was “Everyday Heroes.”

This year’s theme is a Gadling favorite topic: “America’s Destinations.”

Besides being Mitchell’s main tourist attraction, The Corn Palace, serves as a multi-purpose auditorium and exposition center.

We spent about an hour and a half here. If you go, really take time to look at each of the murals, both outside and inside the building. Although we didn’t take the tour (I think we didn’t have the time), it would be one way to find out more about South Dakota’s agricultural history and the building. For example, the various colors of the mural are due to the grains and type of corn used. There are 13 shades of corn in the current design.

Click here for more facts. As much as The Corn Palace could be touted as tacky, it could be touted as a work of art. Think of the entire building as a thematic art exhibit of sorts.

Plus, the items on sale inside are totally corn related. If anything, browsing through the offerings is a lesson in how much corn inspires people to make knickknacks. Items range from tacky to terrific. I had a blast wandering through the variety and picked up popcorn balls, postcards and a few tasteful presents.

The snack bar outside the auditorium has affordable eats. Of course, we bought ears of corn followed by ice-cream. The ice-cream was not corn related, but South Dakota is hot in the summer and ice-cream bribes make summer road trips bearable.

Although we passed through here last July, August is a month to consider. At the end of the month is the Corn Palace Festival. This year the festival is from August 26-August 30.

Oh, yeah. The Corn Palace definitely fits into budget travel. Admission is free. [all photos by Jamie Rhein]

Hole N” the Rock in Utah, one-of-a-kind-roadside must see

by Jamie Rhein on

There’s Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota that pays tribute to one man’s vision of turning solid rock into the faces of U.S. presidents. And there’s Hole N” the Rock in Utah–one man’s vision to turn a rock into a home and a gift shop.

Not far south of Moab, Utah on U.S. 191, along gorgeous red rock cliffs that glow almost neon against the blue sky, you’ll see billboards that shout out statements like “Hole N” the Rock, Must See Attraction!!!” Curiosity builds. What is it? What is this “Hole N” the Rock? you might think. I know I did when the Hole N” the Rock came into view as my family and I tootled along the highway on our way to Montana from New Mexico on July 1. Because it was right off the highway, 12 miles south of Moab, it would have been an easy stop, however, we were there after closing.

I craned my neck to see what I could for future reference. Besides the obvious large white lettering on the side of the mountain that said “Hole N” The Rock,” inside the fence was a cacophony of statuary and hard to place items. It is difficult to see exactly what’s there when going 70 mph.

After reading up on this place, I’m thinking we missed out on a must see roadside attraction. Twice. TWICE. How could we have passed by it twice?

On our way back from Montana to New Mexico, with a side trip jaunt to Colorado in our plans, we sped past Hole N” The Rock after closing as well. Too bad. It seems like it might have more heart than Mount Rushmore–and I love Mount Rushmore.

Hole N” The Rock is not just a Hole N” The Rock. It’s a 14-room house and gift shop that was created as a roadside attraction from the 1940s through most of the 1950s by Albert Christensen. To make such an attraction, Albert carved out 50,000 feet of cubic sandstone.

Unfortunately, Albert died in 1957 before he totally finished his masterpiece that includes a carved face of Franklin D. Roosevelt above the home.

His wife Gladys kept Albert’s project going. Even though she died in 1974, the attraction continues to grow. A petting zoo was recently added.

Regardless of what you can buy in the gift shop, the tour of the home would be worth taking the time for, in my opinion. I’m always interested to see what passions people have to create such places. I can’t imagine one day Albert noticed that the sandstone was carvable and merely thought, “I have nothing else to do today. Maybe I’ll start making a house.”

If you are going to stop here for a look, timing is key. Hole N” The Rock closes at 5 p.m.–even in the summer. It is open all year. If you don’t have time to stop, still look for it. The place is in-your-face obvious.

Next time we are ever in the vicinity, we are stopping. I’m not letting the opportunity pass by one more time.

Guided tours of the house cost: Adults $5; Children, 5-10, $3.50; under 5, free.

Gadling Take FIVE: Week of July 25 – July 31.

by Jamie Rhein on

The end of July is here. This is also the last day of Gadling’s “Hotel Month” and time to vote for the winner of Gadling’s Perfect Road Trip contest. The voting for the contest goes through next week, but why wait?

With vacations in mind, here are posts that offer a mix of where to go, what not to miss and details worth knowing.

  • Luxury train travel is one of the most elegant ways to go across Australia. Kraig gives an overview of “The Ghan,” a wow factor passenger train that on August 4th will have been in service for 80 years.
  • A trip to New York City should include time to see “Lucy’s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia.” Sean’s post on the exhibit is a thoughtful glimpse of what makes this a must-see happening. Later, head to the beach. Jeremy has five suggestions for beaches close to Manhattan.
  • Tired of the bar scene where it’s hard to hear a person talk or to relax? Katie offers a solution in her post on speakeasy lounges. Her favorite is The Violet Hour in Chicago.
  • To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Hostelworld is offering a contest. Alison has the scoop on how to win a golden ticket and the great prize it will get you.
  • If you need a reason to buy trip insurance, the statistics from Tom’s post on how airline cancellation fees mean big bucks for the airlines might be it.

Photo of the Day (7-29-09)

by Jamie Rhein on

With Mykonos on my mind, after reading about the mezes at Kiki’s restaurant being among the best beach food there, Strudel Monkey’s lush, gorgeous shot of Paraportiani Church on the island seemed fitting. The quality of the tones of this photo capture the essence of what I hope to experience when I go here–a certain quiet calm and a sense of timelessness. Interestingly, I’ll be there about the same time of year that Strudel Monkey was three years ago.

If you have photos to share, please load them at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool and one might be chosen as a Photo of the Day. This one is only one of Studel Monkey’s that has been granted the honor.

Gadlinks for Tuesday 7.28.09

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Welcome to this Tuesday’s edition of Gadlinks. Ready for a rollercoaster ride worth of thrills and chills from around the travel world? Hang on tight, some of our favorite stories are coming this way:

  • Summer is all about hot days and delicious cold ice cream. Lucky for travelers, they serve up ice cream pretty much anywhere you might go, though they enjoy some rather odd flavors abroad. Ever considered Viagra or horseflesh-flavored ice cream? [Via MSNBC]
  • Imagine taking off for an around the world trip, with stops on six continents spanning wild extremes of temperature and activities. Ever wondered what you might pack for that trip? Here’s an insanely detailed look, with photos, of one man’s packing list.
  • Stereotypes are made to be broken. That certainly didn’t stop the team at Bootsnall from investigating 10 Backpacker Stereotypes. Did they hit the mark? Are they way off base? Take a look. [Via Bootsnall]
  • Eastern Europe was long known as the “Iron Curtain,” a reference to the all-too-real barriers separating these many Soviet satellites from the West. If you’re interested in Cold War history (and want to get a little exercise too) consider a bike trip along the “Iron Curtain Trail.” [Via The New York Times]

More Gadlinks HERE.