1889 Sioux City Corn Palace

To further advertise Sioux City as the Corn Palace City, officials sponsored a special train "the Corn Palace Train" to make a tour of the eastern seaboard. The train was decorated much like the palaces themselves. It left Sioux City in the spring of 1889 with 135 goodwill passengers. A band was on board to play rousing tunes along the way and help attract attention. The cost of the trip, including fares, decorations, and everything else was about $20,000, paid for by businessmen of Sioux City. They all considered it a good investment.

The train really did focus attention on Sioux City. While in Washington D.C., the group stopped to attend the inauguration of President Benjamin Harrison. Following the inauguration, the President and members of his cabinet came on board to inspect the train.

The New York Times covered the train's eastern tour and stated: "Everything used in the decorations except the iron nails is the product of Iowa cornfields and the whole train is a marvel of beauty." The article went on to say that it was all "blended and arranged as to form magnificent specimens of rustic art."

The publicity generated by the Corn Palace Train and the successes of the first two palaces led to the grandest festival thus far. Built on the same site as the last palace, (now known as the Corn Palace Lot), the 1889 palace featured a main tower 200 feet high that towered over surrounding buildings.

The interior designs were crafted by a workforce of 269 women and the displays were far better than before. The Seventy-fifth New York Regimental Band entertained the visitors each day.