Davison County’s lengthy new comprehensive plan includes lots of juicy economic data, including this table showing that the World’s Only Corn Palace helps make Mitchell’s county the second-most lucrative tourist spot in southeast South Dakota:
Davison County’s tourism take is still a mere eleventh of Minnehaha’s, but their $104.23 million is more than triple what my storied home turf of Lake County got with its glorious namesake lakes (Herman! Madison! Brant!) and venerable Historic Prairie Village. if only we’d listened to Senator Mundt and taken I-29….
But notice: Davison is one of seven counties out of the thirteen listed that did not beat pre-pandemic highs in 2021.
I’m surprised at all my out of state friends who visit the Corn Palace and DON’T think it is a huge let down. After all, outside the murals, it isn’t much. I’m hoping that they also visit the Art Museum in the old Carnegie Library and see the Oscar Howe Collection. Maybe that’s what they remember.