PALMER, ALASKA

From the majestic Pioneer and Twin Peaks in the Chugach Range to the Talkeetna Mountains in South central Alaska, Palmer is framed in breathtaking beauty. Located 42 miles northeast of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway in the Matanuska Valley, the city's unique history and heritage are unparalleled in the state.

HISTORY… In 1935, under President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration established the Matanuska Colony. From the drought-starved Midwest, 203 families traveled by train and ship to reach the fledgling colony. Their housing was in a tent city for that first Alaskan summer. Each family drew lots for individual 40-acre tracts and a farming adventure began. Back in 1935, those original Valley Colonists already knew this fertile valley could produce a rich agrarian heritage, making Palmer the only Alaskan community to develop from an agricultural lifestyle.

AGRICULTURE PLUS … Today, Palmer is a garden hub for the state, and the unique microclimate produces amazing giant vegetables, found on display annually at the home of the Alaska State Fair. Palmer agriculture today provides food to communities across the State of Alaska.

The pedestrian-friendly downtown is filled with shops and boutiques with books, arts and crafts, and offerings from local artists, businesses, services, and farmers. Come taste the hometown flavor of small-town Alaska. Walk, drive or just stop and enjoy the summer flowers in bloom in the historic downtown center.

Courtesy of www.cityofpalmer.org