Summer 2006 (mostly South Dakota and Black Hills)

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Mitchell was not directly on our route to the Black Hills, but we drove the two sides of the triangle rather than the hypotenuse so we could visit the Corn Palace. Virginia heard about it from some of the locals here in Kansas.

Corn Palace, Mitchell SD

The world’s only Corn Palace is built out of reinforced concrete, not corn, but every spring, its exterior is completely covered with thousands of bushels of native South Dakota corn, grain and grasses that are arranged into large murals.

Corn Palace, Mitchell SD

In this shot you can see the intricate work. (Click on the picture itself for a larger view.)

Corn Palace, Mitchell SD

I think folks in SD have too much time on their hands

Flowers Lake Mitchell SD

After the Corn Palace, we drove out to a pre-Madan Indian site near town. It was very interesting, but since it was an archeological dig site, not overly photogenic. It was on a pretty lake however, and had pretty flowers.

Missouri River, Chamberlin SD

As we headed due west on I-90, we crossed the Missouri River again near Chamberlin SD. The expanse and clarity of the river is amazing. Someday I’d like to re-trace the Lewis and Clarke route, though of course the river has changed a lot in the intervening 200 years due to both natural and man-made reasons.