An 80-Acre Tribute to America, Planted in an Iowa Cornfield
The Statue of Liberty. An eagle with its wings spread wide. And the words “Land of the Free” and “Home of the Brave.”
All growing in an 80-acre cornfield in rural Woodbury County, Iowa.
Michael Gallagher and his father, Dennis Gallagher, planted this tribute to America’s 250th anniversary using two different corn hybrids. From above, the field reveals an enormous design with “America 250” and “1776–2026” worked into the scene.
How Do You Plant a Picture in a Cornfield?
The work starts months before the fall photographs.
First, the family comes up with a design and builds an image of what they want the finished field to look like. Michael handles most of the work getting that image into the software used by their multi-hybrid planter.
That planting plan tells the equipment which hybrid to plant in each part of the field. Michael and Dennis both handle the planting.
For the field artwork, they use two corn hybrids. One is known to dry to a darker color than the other, creating the contrast that brings out the lettering, shapes, and details.
That’s the part I find especially interesting. When they plant in spring, they’re already planning for a view that will take months to develop.
The same equipment also helps create their walk-through corn maze. For that project, the planting plan tells the equipment where to leave areas unplanted so visitors will have paths to follow.
Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary
The inspiration for the 80-acre design was straightforward: the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.
The finished scene brings together the Statue of Liberty, an eagle, stars, and patriotic lettering on a scale that’s hard to appreciate until you see it from the air.
The family also hoped a military flyover might be possible. They told me they submitted a request during the summer, but the timing of an approval could extend beyond the field’s remaining season.
Harvest is approaching, and this artwork has a deadline. Eventually, the corn needs to come out.
A Second Field Celebrates 100 Years of Pioneer
The Gallaghers created another design in a separate cornfield, this one celebrating Pioneer’s 100th anniversary.
It includes Pioneer branding and the years 1926–2026. The contrast was subtler when I photographed it, but an earlier image shared on Pioneer Seeds’ official Facebook page shows the design in greener corn.
The family told me this was something they wanted to do themselves. It wasn’t a paid advertisement or a project coordinated by Pioneer.
Pioneer later shared the design on its official Facebook page and thanked Dennis and Michael for helping celebrate the company’s century milestone.
Three Generations, Taking a Break From Harvest
When we met up with Dennis and Michael, they were out harvesting. They took time to stop so we could get their photographs, and Michael’s son, Aaron, joined them.
One of my favorite details is Aaron’s shirt: “Grandpa’s Tractor Buddy.”
After photographing artwork that covers an entire field, it was good to photograph the people behind it, too. A father, a son, and the next generation spending time together during harvest.
Visit the Family at Holly View Acres
The family also welcomes visitors to Holly View Acres, a public pumpkin patch and corn maze near Holly Springs, with a Hornick mailing address.
Maria Gallagher owns and runs the pumpkin patch, and I had the chance to visit with her while photographing the displays.
There’s no admission charge to enter Holly View Acres. The corn maze has a separate admission fee, and you pay for the pumpkins you take home.
The two cornfields with the America 250 and Pioneer designs are at separate locations from the public attraction. Those locations aren’t shared with the public, and the designs can’t be appreciated from the ground. At the family’s request, I’m identifying them only as rural Woodbury County.
For a visit, head to Holly View Acres at 2941 Moville Blacktop, Hornick, Iowa 51026.
More Than 90 Varieties, All Grown by the Family
The pumpkin selection was one of the biggest surprises of my visit.
There were so many shapes, colors, sizes, and textures. Pale pink pumpkins, blue-gray pumpkins, white pumpkins, striped pumpkins, and others covered in bumps. Some were varieties I hadn’t seen before.
When we asked about the selection, Maria explained that they grow them all themselves and have more than 90 varieties.
The growing patch is down the hill from the parking area. During my visit, the pumpkins available to buy were already harvested and arranged on displays near the parking area.
You could spend plenty of time just looking through the choices.
A Corn Maze With a Mission
The public maze has its own design, too. For 2026, the theme is “FREEDOM.”
The maze covers 10 acres and visitors follow a map to find five checkpoints and can turn in their completed map for a prize. The farm says to allow 30 minutes to more than an hour and describes the paths as stroller-friendly.
A Family’s Idea That Keeps Growing
The family’s maze-making history goes back to a trial maze in 2020, documented in a Siouxland News feature. By 2022, Holly View Acres was welcoming the public.
Michael explained that he and Maria had enjoyed visiting corn mazes with friends during college. They wanted to create that kind of experience for other families.
The farm has since hosted other gatherings, including “Praise in the Pasture.” The most recent Praise in the Pasture had over 600 attendees and combined fall activities with worship music.
Plan Your Visit to Holly View Acres
📍 Address: 2941 Moville Blacktop, Hornick, Iowa 51026. hollyviewacres.com
Admission: Free entry to the pumpkin patch. Separate charges apply for the corn maze and pumpkin purchases.
Website: hollyviewacres.com
Facebook: facebook.com/hollyviewacres
Check the farm’s website and Facebook page for current seasonal hours and maze admission prices.
The America 250 and Pioneer field artwork locations are not public visitor destinations.
