50th Anniversary For South Dakota Hand Corn Husking in 2026
November 3, 1938, South Dakota hosted the National Hand Corn Husking Contest near Dell Rapids with 125,000 watching. The attack on Pearl Harbor. World War II, and mechanization
joined forces to end this chapter of Midwest history. In 1975 longtime friends Burton Burkman and Burton Ode were talking Bicentennial projects of the next year. The 1976 Bicentennial project was a culmination
of demonstrations of pioneer farming ways. But the event that would return South Dakota to it husking heritage occurred October 9th and 10th 1976. The contest on the Burnie Burkman farm would quickly grow. By 1978 a non-profit organization. whose main goal was to promote pioneer farming and hand corn husking would be formed and called Dakota Heritage INC. With the growth of sponsorships this association
flourished, South Dakota would host the 1978 National contest on Burton and Jo Burkman's farm. This was the first National husking contest held in South Dakota since the 1938 contest. (assumed to be written by Carol Kiecksee)