The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-10-02
TIE BEsUTEOUs BUILDING
The Corn Palace Presents a Hand
some Appearance on Exterior
With its Corn Designs.

With it's Corn Designs.
What beautiful designs can be
worked out with the different col
ored corns We're never more aptly
demonstrated than is shown on the
exterior of the corn palace building
of 1908. When Decorator Robe as
sumed charge OF the work on Sept.
Z he was given free rein to make
the decorations the handsomest in
the history of the palace. That he
has accomplished it fully and abund-
antly is revealed in the beauti-
full work that stands out resplen-
IDENTIFY.
In the decorations the artist does
not follow any general plan but
makes his designs to fit the archi-
tectural design of the building. For
for the purpose of decorating the
corn palace building and at no time
has he brought out the universal
praise hat is accorded his work as
SAAS SSoA. ASo oAS Woo IohCh
this ear with reference to the shad-
ing of the corn and it is not so alb
rupt as in former years, and in this
way the general effect of the exter-
ior is crafty enhanced.
The greatest Improvement in the
matter of decoration is the change
of plan of handling the eight towers
of the structure. Heretofore 1t has
been the rule to decorate a portion
of them with either wheat, oats or
flax heads, but when this was all
changed to dress them up in moth
ing but corn the effect was magical
in appearance. 1t has changed the en-
tire aspect of the decorations, Civ
ing them a much more solid and
dignified appearance. One would
hardly believe that the change to
the corn alone would make such
difference, and it is not likely that
anything else than corn will ever be
used on the towers.
Approaching the structure from
the southwest, one is greeted with
a b~ewildering array of color and
made large and strong from the col
oring and brings them out with
marked effect. The southwest cor
ner stands out as the central figure
of the entire work From the top
to the bottom the design is very at
tractive with diamond, half diamond.
the drapery, the Swastika charms
that circle around at the top, the
immense size squares. and the box
squares, that have the appearance
of steps, done in red, white and yell
low corn. The central piece on
that tower is the handsome wreath
of large dimensions, which is
made .of a background Of white
corn, the wreath of light red corn,
and in its center is placed the figur-
es, 1905" The effect of the entire
work on the tower is very pleasing
to the eye. the colors not being
too strong to the eye.
Secondary to the corner tower,
the main entrance to the building
is n of the most attractive places,
particularly when the 500 incande-
scent lights are turned on at night.
These have been strung at the top
of the arch and lines of lights run
h supporting columns, others
have been run crosswise and the eff
feet is beautiful. Around the en-
trance doors is a background of
strawberry corn and designs of
squares of white and yellow corn,
with a slight mixture of light and
dark red. AT each side of the en-
trance on a fiat surface is an i'm
mense square with IA background
of strawberry ana yellow corn, in
side of which is drawn a diamond
shaped figure. In its center the
artist has made a feur de lis that
is done in red corn that is shaded.
One of the striking features of
the general decorations is a band of
military braid extending from the
east end of the structure around to
the north end. 1t is about three
feet wide and is made of yellow and
dark red corn, the design being very
pretty and intricate in construction.
Below as a band about four feet
wide in white and light red corn,
covering the same distance and still
another made in the form of an x
crosswise, which is filed in with
light red, yellow and whites corn.
The decorations on the west side
of the building do not vary much
from the scheme on the south side.