Palmer was first established in 1916 to serve as a railway station on the Matanuska Branch of the Alaska Railroad. In 1935, under President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration established the Matanuska Colony.  Over 200 families traveled by train and ship in search of new opportunities away from their drought stricken homes in the Midwest.  They resided originally in what was known as a tent city for the first summer. Eventually, the families were able to draw lots of individual 40-acre tracts where the fertile valley allowed them to develop an agricultural lifestyle. 

Palmer celebrates its historical roots during the popular Colony Days during the second weekend of June which features a parade, farmer’s markets, open houses, a popular 5-kilometer run. In December Palmer celebrates Colony Christmas which is a Norman Rockwell-like celebration that includes a parade of lights, hay rides, reindeer visit, craft fairs and more! These events truly showcase the family-friendly atmosphere Palmer provides and the strong pride in community the residents have! Palmer features a world-class 18 hole golf course, incredible mountain hikes, river rafting and a pedestrian-friendly downtown.

The gardening in Palmer provides produce sold across the state. The favorable climate produces potatoes, vegetables, oats, hay, greenhouse plants, vegetables and sod. Visitors and locals enjoy visiting the Alaska State Fair each year to view the giant vegetables that grow to  remarkable sizes. Livestock farms also flourish in this environment and often showcase more unique Alaskan animals such as elk, yak, bison, and reindeer. Construction of the statewide road system, and the rapid development of Anchorage has fueled growth in the Mat-Su Valley over the years. The Matanuska Susistna Borough is the same size as the state of West Virginia, spanning 23,000 square miles.