Most midwesterners can tell you a thing or two about corn, but did you know that we like to get lost in it too? Every fall, we look forward to pumpkins, changing leaves, cool autumn nights, and you guessed it—corn mazes!
Examples of mazes used in gardening and tiles.
History of Mazes
Mazes and labyrinths date back some 4000 years ago to the time of Ancient Greece and Rome. They were seen as artwork and thought to help realize one’s purpose, a type of self-awakening that one could find while being lost within the maze. Unlike corn mazes, which are cut into a pattern or theme each year, garden mazes were cut into geometric patterns (think of the labyrinth in The Shining). Those same geometric motifs can also be seen in ancient tiles, art, and more.
Bird’s eye view of a maze pattern cut into a corn field.
The First Corn Maze
Corn mazes don’t date back nearly as far as ancient labyrinths—the first corn maze was built in 1993 by Don Frantz and Adrian Fisher in Annville, Pennsylvania, on 3 acres on land and almost 2 miles of paths. It also received the title of “World’s Largest Corn Maze” by Guinness Book of World Records (which has now been held by the Cool Patch Pumpkins for their 60-acre maze in Dixon, CA since 2014).
Popular around Halloween, haunted corn mazes are sure to get your blood pumping!
Haunted Corn Mazes
Looking for a little more excitement? No problem, there are haunted corn mazes too! Hosted at night, carefully walk through the dimly lit pathways and hold your breath while you approach the next turn—you never know what or who will pop out!
Here are some of our favorite corn mazes so whether you’re coming to see us in Iowa or Tennessee, you can get in on the corny fun!
-Pride of the Wapsi – Long Grove, Iowa
-Schuster’s Pumpkin Patch and Maze – Dubuque, Iowa
-Shuckles Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch – Greenbrier, Tennessee
-Lucky Lad Farms – Eagleville, Tennessee
Do you plan on visiting a corn maze this season? Tell us about your local corn maze in the comments!
Please ad Richardson Adventure Farm Corn Maze in Spring Grove Ill. This year the maze is all about James Bond’s films. They really do it up right.
That’s such a cool theme! We’re going to have to check it out!
We live in Tampa Florida right near the Mecca of haunted attractions, Halloween Horror Nights @ Universal Studios. However even though it stays warm here all year, Fall begins in late August with Disney offering Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party but there are tons of local farms that offer some really great Fall activities. Love living here in Florida!
Those all sound awesome! We’ll have to get down to Florida during the fall sometime!
For those 21 and over, 450 North Brewing Co. of Columbus, Indiana are holding their annual Corn Maze Beer Fest on Saturday, October 1st from 1pm – 5pm. It’s a beer festival inside a corn maze!
https://beerfests.com/events/corn-maze-beer-fest/
This looks like so much fun! What a cool idea! Thanks for sharing, Tim!
I have a old hay trolly. It is made by hudson Co mfg. I have the whole unit including the track. I was wondering if youvwould be interested in looking at it.
Love the James Bond’s idea, in Vietnam, we hardly find any maze that We could join. Wish I could be Haunted Corn Mazes
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