Discover Mitchell

Mitchell brings together the history of the Corn Palace, museums, archaeology, and activities at Lake Mitchell. When planning your stay, it’s worth considering these highlights separately: tours and events have seasonal or annually changing dates, while lake trails and sports offerings appeal to different interests. This can help you decide which themes you’d like to focus on in Mitchell.

The Corn Palace and recurring events

The World's Only Corn Palace was established on Main Street in Mitchell in 1892. During the summer months, the Corn Palace offers free tours. Since these are seasonal, it’s best to check the specific tour dates before your trip.

The Corn Palace Festival celebrates the annual redesign of the World's Only Corn Palace; its dates change from year to year. Mitchell has also hosted the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo since 1971. Its dates and program details also vary. If you’d like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the dates for the relevant year.

Cultural heritage and archaeology

The Carnegie Resource Center houses a permanent collection of Corn Palace memorabilia dating from 1892 to the present. It also features original artwork and prints by Oscar Howe. This brings Corn Palace memorabilia spanning a long period together under one roof with works by a named artist.

The Mitchell Prehistoric Indigenous Archaeological Site includes the excavation of a 1,000-year-old Indigenous prairie village. Through artifacts, murals, clothing, tools, and memorabilia, the Dakota Discovery Museum preserves a legacy that continues to shape identity today. Together with the Corn Palace collection, this offers a broad view across time: from an archaeological site thousands of years old to memorabilia spanning from 1892 to the present.

Lake Mitchell and trails

Lake Mitchell is a man-made reservoir dating from 1928. You can go boating, fishing, and kayaking on the lake. Trails around Lake Mitchell are popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists. This means the lake offers both on-the-water activities and ways to get active on the trails.

There are also specific route details to help you find your way: the paved trail along Dry Run Creek is one mile long and runs from Burr Street to Minnesota Street. The Dry Run Creek Bike and Walking Path runs along Cemetery Road to Lake Mitchell. The routes described therefore differ in their stated endpoints and course.

Golf and sports facilities

Lakeview Golf Course is a municipal 18-hole facility. It also has a driving range that is more than 200 yards wide and 300 yards long. The number of holes and the range’s dimensions provide specific details if golf is one of your travel interests.

The Mitchell Recreation Center offers an indoor pool, basketball courts, a weight room, a cardio room, and racquetball courts. Alongside the golf course, Mitchell’s sports offerings also include several indoor facilities. Together with the trails and water sports at Lake Mitchell, these provide a range of ways to stay active that you can consider when planning your stay.

For an overview of the wider area: Davison County.