The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-10-17
A CORN PALACE.
How It is Constructed and What
It is Like.

The person who has not seen a
corn palace has a vague idea that it
is a structure of corn, but how it is
built and decorated, he does not
know. Nor to see the completed
palace and not to make a minute
examination of it's structure, would
one realize the vast amount of work
required to make it the thing of
beauty and significance it is. First
is erected an immense frame struct-
ure, mostly of pine boards and
planks. The beams and heavy parts
are made of planks nailed together,
thus giving far greater strength than
if the timbers were solid. The en-
tire outline of the palace is thus
made. Then, upon the ouside, all
the various parts and forms of corn
and the other native cereals are
nailed, blending in wonderful har-
mony of color and making many
unique design. The variety Of
grains, grasses and parts of corn
used is wonderful, and never was
imagined until after experience was
gained in corn-palace building.
Many whole ears of corn are split,
sawed in two lengthwise and nailed
upon the boards. The green or yell
low stalks, in all shades, are also
employed; the individual kernels
are used, the blades and leaves are
brought into play, and in every way,
shape and manner the exterior of
the palace is eloquent of the pro-
ductive and golden Northwest. The
person who comes upon the Corn
Palace for the first time and sees it
in all it's magnifcence and beauty
feels that it is revelation. It in
spires thoughts which are not given
to men to describe; it provides its
own eloquence.
But if the exterior Of the palace
is grand and beautiful, the interior
is even more so. 1t is here that the
decorative possibilities of the cere-
ais have been most fully realized,
and have taken the most delicate
forms. But the inside of the palace
is even harder to describe than the
outside. 1t must be sufficient to say
that it is perfect bower of beauty,
and at each new turn and in every
nook and corner new beauties are
found. The first corn palace was
grand and lovely, but each one since
has been great improvement on
it's predecessor, and the palace of
1891 will far surpass them all.
This is not idle promise. The
ladies of Sioux City, who
have always taken foremost part
in the work of decoration, have
learned rapidly and improved every
opportunity for bringing out the
natural and artificial beauties of the
cereals and their products. Let
not the uninformed reader suppose
that the interior of the palace is
merely hung and festooned with |
corn and wheat, after the ancient |
manner of decorating churches with
evergreens. There are pictures,
wrought wholly in cereals, which
IN design, execution and color are
close rivals of the expert artists
brush. And why should they not
De? These colors were laid by the
and inimitable hand of
Nature, and the designs of the arti-
icial works of art are worked out by
left hands, guided by artistic tastes
md the knowledge born of expert
,nce and nurtured by love of the
work.
The illumination of the palace
md of the city streets during the
estival has always been a promi-
lent feature, and will be this year.
rhe palace is light and cheerful, by
lay or by night, and there is not a
quare foot Of it which is not good
o look upon.-Sioux City Times.
H0w t0 nraaa