Palmer

Considered a rural, Mayberry kind of town, Palmer's blend of valley and highland beauty offers an escape from metropolitan buzz. Often called “Alaska at its Best,” streetscapes here are dotted with tall pines and the community is surrounded by snow-capped ridges.

Established in 1916 by George Palmer as a river trading post, it soon became a station on the Alaska Railroad. However, it was in 1935 that several hundred Midwest families headed to Palmer to pioneer a colony under President Roosevelt’s New Deal. Given a barn and 40 acres, these families were asked to establish Palmer as a farm community. Eighteen colony buildings from the ‘30s and ‘40s remain in a nine-block historic downtown, including the Colony House Museum. Residents commemorate Palmer’s founding families yearly with a Colony Days celebration and 5-K in June, and a Colony Christmas parade in December.

Palmer’s premier event, however, is the Alaska State Fair — the largest statewide. This lively 14-day extravaganza features bands, carnival rides, and a giant cabbage weigh-off. Thanks to summer days with 20 hours of sunshine, Palmer is known for producing mammoth vegetables. And if you love to witness nature’s forces in Alaska, Palmer delivers. Neighbors stay prepared for windstorms that sometimes blow in from the Matanuska River, and homes are often fortified with metal roofs.

Home styles can range from a two-bedroom ‘80s downtown fixer-upper for $215,000 to a five-bedroom home with painted vertical siding for $425,000. You can also find newly constructed two-story Craftsman homes in the Green Acres community for $455,000 and new contemporary three-bedroom homes in the Hidden Ranch community for around $490,000. Yards are well-kept; and depending on where you live, Palmer’s flat streets sometimes feature sidewalks. George Collum, General Manager for the Palmer Municipal Golf Course, says, “I’ve talked to homeowners who’ve chosen to live in Palmer specifically because they can golf here in the valley. There’s the Mountain Rose Estates senior community about a mile down the street, where you’ll find many residents who golf. There’s also the new Rocky Point development with homes scattered around the course.” Local athletes play baseball and soccer at the Sherrod sports complex, where you’ll also find a BMX Bike Park and a walking trail along the Matanuska River.

While you won’t live here to walk to large employers, you commute to downtown Anchorage within about 40 miles. Collum adds, “One of the many interesting things about Palmer’s 18-hole championship course is that it’s situated right by Palmer Airport, which serves a lot of private planes. So, golfers actually fly in from other parts of the state to play for the day. It’s a public course, on flat terrain right along the Mat River, ranked by Golf Digest as one of Alaska’s best courses. And because we allow walking, it’s an excellent community resource for exercise when we have such long winters here. We have members who play 100 rounds of golf anywhere from mid-April to late October.”

Palmer public schools are within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which earns an A-minus grade from Niche. Younger students can start their journey at Swanson or Sherrod elementary schools, both earning a B-plus from Niche, before moving on to Palmer Middle which Niche gives a B-minus grade. Older students head to Palmer High, which earns an overall B grade from Niche. In 2022 and 2023, Palmer High’s girls’ cross-country team won the Division II state title.

Locals enjoy homestyle meals and specialty apps such as corn fritters with honey butter at the high-spirited, family-owned Noisy Goose Restaurant when dining out. When the mood for authentic Mexican hits, colorful La Fiesta is the spot for “Las Famosas Fajitas.” For all your at-home cooking and essential needs, you can stock up at Fred Meyer, or across the street at Carr’s. In Palmer, you’ll enjoy a quiet suburban tempo, cherished community events, and recreation in a scenic Alaskan valley.

Written By

Lia Girard

Photography Contributed By

Chad Jackson

Video By

Mike Dunleavy