News

Jun 18, 2023

Altoona's summer CORNival to feature 20 corn statues around town

Altoona's about to get a whole lot cornier. As a nod to Altoona's agricultural

Altoona's about to get a whole lot cornier.

As a nod to Altoona's agricultural history, the Altoona Area Historical Society and the Altoona Arts and Culture Commission are teaming up to stage the new CORNival event this summer to commemorate the 100th anniversary of America's first acre of commercial hybrid seed corn harvested.

The statue project builds on work by organizers in recent years to weave public art and new community events into the civic life of Altoona, like the roundabout sculpture and the return of an annual Christmas gathering in the historic Olde Town district.

"Taking on a project of this size and scale is really exciting and only goes to show what the future has in store for what's potential out of this initiative," said Altoona City Council member Elizabeth Burns-Thompson.

More:City leaders look to revive Altoona's Olde Town as rest of the suburb grows

That will include a series of six-foot fiberglass corn statues placed around town. Anybody can submit designs, following instructions on the city website. Many of the corn statues, serving as Altoona's answer to Iowa City's Herky on Parade or Ames' CyclONE City, will stick around for years to come — and always be more than knee high by the Fourth of July.

The deadline for submissions has been extended to March 31. Artists will receive $2,500 apiece for their work.

The kick-off celebration to unveil the 20 sculptures will coincide the Fourth of July parade, and corn-themed events will occur throughout Altoona this summer. Further details are to be announced.

Mayor Dean O'Connor led a police escort through town Friday, including past local elementary schools, with a blank corn statue prototype.

Those interested in sponsoring or volunteering can send an email to [email protected].

The 1923 hybrid corn harvest came during an Iowa State University corn yield contest. The team of George Kutzwell, his sister Ruth and friend Henry A. Wallace decided to compete with an acre of experimental hybrid corn, a newly developed strain, on the Kutzwell family farm in Altoona.

They didn't win, but they got a contract for their corn seed, laying the foundation for what would become Pioneer Hi-Bred International, today a Dupont-owned company based in Johnson and one of the world's largest seed companies.

Wallace, of Des Moines, the son of then-U.S. agriculture secretary Henry C. Wallace, went on to serve as agriculture secretary in the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, then as Roosevelt's second vice president.

More:Drake neighborhood marker tells one-of-a-kind story of Wallace and Carver — even if a few facts aren't right

Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at [email protected] or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.