The American West and Cowboys photographed by Richard Olsenius, on National Geographic Assignments.

Mitchell South Dakota Corn Palace

The building, which is sculpted to look like a colossal cow skull resting against a huge boulder, was built in the 1970s by an enterprising entrepreneur who clearly knew the power of both novelty architecture and giant skulls. While it was most recently a restaurant, the building had actually been a bait shop, a clothing store, and a roofing company. Although none of those businesses seemed as appropriate for the space as the steakhouse it became in 1993.The Longhorn Grill operated until 2012, when it finally faced foreclosure and had to be sold at auction. As late as 2013, the space was said to have been used for parties and the like, but it seems to still be largely out of commission.Despite this, the proudly Western roadside icon remains to this day. The concrete, rebar, and stucco that the 30-foot tall horns are made of continues to hold up despite years under the Arizona sun. You can still go and take your picture outside of it, just don’t try to go inside. Trespassing in giant abandoned skulls is never a good idea.