Hidden in the heart of rural Iowa, the small town of Mount Ayr holds an artistic treasure that captures the spirit of America’s heartland. Inside the local post office, a vibrant mural titled “The Corn Parade” stretches across the wall, celebrating the community’s deep agricultural roots with whimsical charm. Created during the Great Depression as part of a government program to boost morale, this colorful artwork has become both a beloved landmark and a window into the town’s enduring identity.
A New Deal Masterpiece With Small-Town Charm
Painted by Iowa artist Orr Cleveland Fisher in 1941, “The Corn Parade” arrived in Mount Ayr exactly one year after the town’s new post office building opened its doors. The federal government paid Fisher $750 (equivalent to about $14,000 today) to create this joyful scene for the community.
Measuring 11 by 5 feet, the mural was part of the Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Arts program, which commissioned over 1,300 public artworks during the Great Depression. Unlike many similar projects that have been lost to time or building renovations, Mount Ayr’s mural remains in remarkable condition in its original location.
The painting’s preservation stands as a testament to both quality craftsmanship and the town’s commitment to protecting its cultural heritage for generations to come.
Whimsical Characters Tell Mount Ayr’s Story
Step closer to the mural and you’ll discover a carnival-like procession filled with delightful details that capture small-town Iowa life. At the center rides a massive golden ear of corn atop a float pulled by a red tractor, symbolizing the region’s agricultural lifeblood.
Real Mount Ayr residents appear throughout the scene, including the 1941 postmaster Howard Tedford and Mayor M.E. Bagley, immortalized in vivid oil paint. A tiny band balances precariously on the giant corn while a stilt-walking Uncle Sam and playful clowns add to the festive atmosphere.
Perhaps most charming is the rooster perched proudly at the corn’s tip, overlooking a billboard that boldly proclaims the mural’s central message: “CORN IS KING” – a declaration that still rings true in this farming community today.
The Artist Behind the Corn Kingdom
Before his brush ever touched the Mount Ayr post office wall, Orr Cleveland Fisher had already established himself as one of Iowa’s most distinctive regional artists. Born in 1885 in Jackson County, Fisher developed a signature style blending realistic scenes with elements of fantasy and gentle humor.
Fisher’s artistic journey took him from rural Iowa to New York City and finally back to his home state, where his work celebrated the everyday heroism of Midwestern farm life. His paintings often featured oversized produce and livestock – visual metaphors for the abundance and prosperity that agriculture brought to Iowa communities.
Though he created numerous works throughout his career, “The Corn Parade” remains his most beloved public artwork, perfectly capturing both his artistic vision and the spirit of Mount Ayr in a single joyful scene.
A Community Treasure That Draws Visitors
What makes the Mount Ayr mural special isn’t just its artistic merit – it’s how seamlessly it has woven itself into the fabric of local identity. Longtime residents beam with pride when showing the artwork to visitors, often pointing out relatives or family friends depicted in the parade scene.
Art enthusiasts and history buffs regularly make pilgrimages to this southwestern Iowa town specifically to view the mural. The post office staff has grown accustomed to curious travelers walking through their doors, necks craned upward, absorbing every colorful detail of Fisher’s creation.
Author Roy Behrens perfectly captured the mural’s enduring appeal when he described it as “utterly charming and funny… a colorful, cartoon daydream of a harvest parade in an Iowa farming community” – a description that explains why this artwork continues to delight viewers eight decades after its creation.
More Than Art: A Window Into Rural American Values
The phrase “Corn Is King” emblazoned on the mural’s billboard speaks to something deeper than agricultural pride. For Mount Ayr and countless similar communities across the Midwest, corn represents resilience, hard work, and the rhythms of life that have sustained generations of families.
Created during one of America’s most challenging periods, the mural reminds viewers that even amid hardship, communities find reasons to celebrate their shared identity and values. The parade’s joyful spirit captures the optimism that has carried rural towns through both prosperity and struggle.
Today, as many small towns face economic challenges and population decline, Mount Ayr’s colorful post office wall stands as a vibrant reminder of what makes these communities special – their ability to honor tradition while facing the future with creativity, humor, and unshakable community pride.
