A Closer Look: The City of Palmer

Palmer depot with a narrow gauge locomotive.
Location of Palmer, Alaska
Coordinates: 61°36′7″N 149°7′2″W / 61.60194, -149.11722
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Matanuska-Susitna
Area
- City	3.8 sq mi (9.7 km²)
- Land	3.8 sq mi (9.7 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	233 ft (71 m)
Population (2000)
- City	4,533
- Density	1,206.3/sq mi (465.7/km²)
Time zone	Alaska (AKST) (UTC-9)
- Summer (DST)	AKDT (UTC-8)
ZIP code	99645
Area code(s)	907
FIPS code	02-58660
GNIS feature ID	1407737

This is the view as you travel toward Anchorage from Palmer. Pioneer Peak is to the left with Twin Peaks to the right. The "Ghost Forest" is shown in the foreground. These trees died from the subsidence that occurred in the area as a result of the Great Alaska

Earthquake of 1964.

The Alaska State Fair just outside of Palmer.

Palmer is a city in and the borough seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 4,533. 2005 Census Bureau estimates give the city a population of 6,920.^[1]

Contents [hide] 1 Geography 2 Demographics 3 History 4 Points of Interest 5 References

Geography

Palmer is located at 61°36′7″N, 149°7′2″W (61.601879, -149.117351)^GR1.

Palmer is 68 km (42 miles) northeast of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.7 km² (3.8 mi²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 4,533 people, 1,472 households, and 1,058 families residing in the city. The population density was 465.5/km² (1,206.3/mi²). There were 1,555 housing units at an average density of 159.7/km² (413.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.94% White, 2.05% Black or African American, 8.18% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 1.15% from other races, and 6.29% from two or more races. 3.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.9% were of German, 10.5% United States or American, 8.9% Irish and 8.7% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 1,472 households out of which 47.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the city the population was spread out with 33.6% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,571, and the median income for a family was $53,164. Males had a median income of $44,716 versus $25,221 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,203. About 6.0% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

Palmer began in 1916 as a railway station on the Matanuska branch of the Alaska Railroad. In 1935, during the Great Depression, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal projects, established the Matanuska Colony. From Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, 203 families traveled by train and ship to reach the fledgling colony, arriving in the summer of 1935. Upon their arrival they were housed in a tent city during their first Alaskan summer. Each family drew lots for 40 acre tracts and their farming adventure began in earnest. The failure rate was high, but many of their descendants still live in the area. While the colonists had varying degress of success with farming, Palmer is the only Alaskan Community that developed from an agricultural lifestyle. In addition to an agrarian heritage, the colony families brought with them small town values, institutional structures, and a well planned city center. Many of the structures built are now in a nationally recognized historic district. Construction of the statewide road system and the rapid development of Anchorage has fueled growth around Palmer. Many Palmer residents commute to work in Anchorage.

Points of Interest

Palmer is most noted in Alaska as the location of the annual Alaska State Fair, an event in the early fall known for its record-setting giant cabbages, among other attractions.

Palmer hosts an historic log cabin Visitor Center in the heart of downtown that entertains more than 35,000 visitors each year. The visitor center has a two acre showcase garden and lawn that is the "perfect place to have a picnic." The Palmer Museum of History and Art is located in the Visitor Center and offers visitors chance to view artifacts from Palmer's history and learn about how the town came to be.

A couple of blocks away from the visitor center is the United Protestant Church. It was built in 1936-37 and is one of the historically registered original colonial buildings in Palmer. There are also several bookstores, including "Alaskana Books" which carries a collection of rare and collectible Alaskana books, and "Fireside Books" a quirky little independent bookstore, known for its good books and ugly coffee.

The Mat-Su Miners, a franchise in the Alaska Baseball League, a high-level summer collegiate baseball league, play their games at Herman Brothers Field in Palmer. With Division I collegiate players from all over the United States, the Miners have twice captured the coveted National Baseball Congress championship, in 1987 and 1997.

Palmer is also home to many public and private schools, such as Palmer High.