This Ohio Suburb Planted 109 Ears of Corn Made of Concrete

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Field of Corn is a public artwork in Dublin, Ohio, made up of oversized concrete ears arranged like a crop. The Field of Corn Dublin Ohio landmark stands in a suburban park, where rows of white ears rise from the grass. The contrast catches your eye before you know the story behind the work.

It offers a reason to pause on an ordinary trip through Dublin. You can look past the striking forms to find a connection to the area’s farming past. This stop also suits a road trip built around unusual public art, much like these roadside oddities across the country.

Its rows turn a familiar farming image into an unexpected stop in a suburb.

Key Takeaways

  • The sculpture stands at Frantz Park in Dublin, Ohio.
  • Its concrete ears recall the area’s farming history.
  • Osage orange trees and signs add local context.
  • The artwork honors a rural past amid suburban growth.
  • Ohio still grows corn on a large scale.

Why Is Field of Corn Dublin Ohio a Landmark?

The rows recall an agricultural past because the land was once farmed by Sam Frantz, a leader in hybridized corn. Dublin chose artist Malcolm Cochran’s proposal through its Art in Public Places program in 1993. That history shaped a work that marks both farming and change.

The sculpture was dedicated on October 30, 1994. It holds 109 human-sized ears, each about six feet high and 1,500 pounds. Each stands in a three-foot-deep hole filled with concrete.

A farm site shaped the idea

Malcolm Cochran was a sculpture professor at The Ohio State University when Dublin selected his plan. Sam Frantz’s work with hybridized corn gave the site a direct link to agricultural progress. His farm turned the setting into more than a backdrop.

A planted field of corn is commonly called a cornfield. This concrete corn field is an artwork, not a crop. Each ear is a sculpture, which explains why visitors may casually call them Field of Corn statues.

The work honors a farming legacy through individual sculptures, not a working crop.

How the ears were made and installed

Architectural precast concrete is concrete cast in a mold before it is delivered for installation. Cochran and his team made three full-sized prototypes, each with a different kernel pattern. The prototypes helped shape the molds for the final ears.

Workers cast the ears in Georgia, then sent them to Ohio in four truckloads. The installation placed them in realistic rows across the park. Different kernel patterns keep the repeated rows from looking like exact copies.

What Can You See at Frantz Park?

At Frantz Park, the trees and signs add a layer of local history to the rows of concrete ears. The park is at 4995 Rings Road, Dublin, Ohio. Look beyond the sculpture to see how the setting ties it to the Frantz family.

The Dublin Historical Society supported the park’s name. Eulalia Frantz attended the dedication with her daughter and son. The site also has an existing row of Osage orange trees and another row planted for the project.

  • Notice the regimented row of ears and their varied kernel patterns.
  • Look along both rows of Osage orange trees.
  • Read the interpretive signs about the artwork and hybridization.

The signs connect the sculpture to the farming history behind its design. Cornhenge is an informal nickname for the work. Field of Corn photos can show the contrast between orderly rows and varied ear patterns.

A helpful Field of Corn review considers its striking appearance and its memorial to rural landscapes. For another Ohio outing, the 2026 Corn Maze Trail lists 57 mazes statewide. You can also browse this roadside attraction roundup for more stops.

Use the signs to connect the sculpture’s visual pattern to the area’s farming history.

How Does Ohio’s Corn Legacy Compare Today?

Ohio’s corn story stretches from leading the country in production by 1850 to a substantial modern crop. Corn, soybeans, and wheat remain among the state’s main crops. Field corn ties that history to farms across Ohio.

Ohio grows corn, with 579,600,000 bushels produced for grain in 2025. Ohio planted 3,400,000 acres of corn for all purposes that year. The state harvested 3,150,000 acres for grain.

Corn shaped Ohio’s history

Ohio’s early lead reflects how long corn has shaped farming in the state. Sam Frantz also helped advance corn through his use of hybridized seed. The work at Frantz Park recalls that history in a form you can see on foot.

The Dublin Arts Council and the city’s public art program helped bring the project into the community. Today’s crop numbers offer a different view of the same subject. They track acres, yield, and harvest rather than a single farm or site.

Ohio and U.S. corn production in 2025

Ohio’s 2025 corn-for-grain figures include a yield of 184 bushels per acre and a price of $4.25 per bushel. Production value reached $2,484,550,000. The United States had a record estimated harvest, with a higher average yield.

Metric Ohio United States
2025 corn-for-grain harvested area 3,150,000 acres 91.3 million acres
2025 corn-for-grain yield 184 bushels per acre 186.5 bushels per acre
2025 corn-for-grain production 579,600,000 bushels 17.0 billion bushels

The U.S. corn-for-grain production estimate was up 14 percent from 2024. Its average yield rose 7.2 bushels per acre, while harvested area increased 10 percent. Ohio’s figures show substantial production without making the state the nation’s leading producer.

Compare harvested acres for grain with harvested acres for grain, not with all-purpose planted acres.

Keep planted acres for all purposes separate from harvested acres for grain when comparing these figures.

Conclusion

Field of Corn makes Dublin’s farming past visible in a setting that has since become suburban. The artwork is an unusual public landmark and a memorial to a changing rural landscape. Its meaning comes through in the contrast between its sculpted crop and the town around it.

When you visit, take time to notice the Osage orange trees and read the interpretive signs. They add details that the concrete rows cannot tell on their own. Before visiting, check the City of Dublin’s current information for practical trip details.

FAQ

Do they grow corn in Ohio?

Yes, Ohio grows corn, and farmers planted 3,400,000 acres for all purposes in 2025. That total includes corn grown for uses beyond grain. Ohio harvested 3,150,000 acres for grain that year, producing 579,600,000 bushels. Corn remains one of the state’s main crops, alongside soybeans and wheat.

Why is there a field of corn in Dublin, Ohio?

Field of Corn is Malcolm Cochran’s public artwork, made to reflect the community’s farming legacy and rural landscapes. The land once belonged to Sam Frantz, who farmed there and promoted hybridized corn. Dublin selected Cochran’s proposal through its public art program. The rows recall a working agricultural past in a suburb that has since changed.

What are the main crops grown in Ohio?

Corn, soybeans, and wheat are among Ohio’s main crops. Corn has a long history in the state, and it remains a major part of modern farming. In 2025, Ohio planted 3,400,000 acres of corn for all purposes. Those acres include corn grown for more than grain alone.

Is Ohio the corn state?

Ohio has a long corn-growing history, but “the corn state” is not an official title. The state led the country in corn production by 1850. In 2025, Ohio produced 579,600,000 bushels of corn for grain. That is a substantial crop, though the national production total was much higher.

How many concrete ears are in Field of Corn?

There are 109 human-sized concrete ears arranged in rows. Each ear is about six feet high and weighs 1,500 pounds. The repeated forms look like a crop, but each one is a sculpture. Their different kernel patterns keep the rows from appearing identical as you walk through the park.

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