Day 14 - Mitchell, South Dakota

We departed camp via car pooling at 8:45 am for a morning of visiting points of interest.

Our first stop was the World Famous Corn Palace.  It was originally built in 1892 with renovations in 1913, 1927 and finally in 2000.  Each Fall a festival is held to celebrate agriculture and productivity of the people in the surrounding area of Mitchell.  Many celebrities have performed at the palace such as John Phillip Souza, Bob Hope, Lawrence Welk to name a few.  We were told each year a new motif was installed on the building, removing the old and installing new corn and grains.

Back into our vehicles we traveled a few blocks to the Carnegie Resource Center.  This 109 year old building now preserves the history and genealogy of the citizens of the Mitchell area, including the history of The Corn Palace.  Andrew Carnegie gave $12,000 to aid with the Library, and book costs.  Painted on the interior dome is a mural called “Sun and Rain Clouds over the Hills” by artist Oscar Howe, a Yanktoni Sioux in 1940.

Walking in to the Cagnegie Library

Sun and Rain Clouds Over the Hills

Our last destination was the Prehistoric Indian Village Site. These ancient people in the 11th century probably became the Mandan Tribe as Lewis and Clark met them.  Archeological remains show the fertile banks of the Firesteel Creek with corn, beans, squash and plentiful timber, along with Bison and other animals. As many as 80 earthen lodges, each housing many generations of each family unit, are slowly being uncovered.

Bison Skeleton

Archeologist at work

We returned to camp for an afternoon of R & R, ending with a driver’s meeting by Wagon Master Phil at 7:00 pm.

Respectively submitted by #15,Guy and Betty Jo Patterson