Palmer, Alaska: Difference between revisions

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'''Palmer''' ([[Ahtna language|Ahtna]]: ''Nił'etse'it'aade'' or ''Nuutah''; [[Denaʼina language|Dena'ina]]: ''Denal'i Kena'') is a city in and the [[county seat|borough seat]] of the [[Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska]], United States, located {{convert|42|mi}} northeast of Anchorage on the [[Glenn Highway]] in the [[Matanuska-Susitna Valley|Matanuska Valley]].<ref name="PalmerInfo">{{cite web|url = https://www.palmerak.org/discover-palmer|title = Welcome to the City of Palmer Alaska|format = Web|publisher = City of Palmer|access-date = November 7, 2021}}</ref> It is the [[List of cities in Alaska|ninth-largest city]] in [[Alaska]], and forms part of the [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] [[Anchorage metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. As of the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]], the population of the city is 5,888, down from 5,937 in 2010.<ref name="2020 Census Data">{{cite web|url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html|title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places|format = Web|publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development|access-date = October 31, 2021}}</ref>

In one year, Palmer transformed from a mere whistle stop rail siding to a planned community with modern utilities and community services. Eleven million dollars from [[Federal Emergency Relief Administration]] was spent to create the town of Palmer and relocate 203 families from the hard hit [[Iron Range]] region of [[Michigan]], [[Minnesota]] and [[Wisconsin]]. Families traveled by train and ship to Palmer, arriving in May 1935. Upon their arrival they were housed in a city tent during their first Alaskan summer. Each family drew lots for {{convert|40|acre|m2|adj=on}} tracts and their farming adventure began in earnest. The failure rate was high, but many of their descendants still live in the area and there are still many operating farms in the Palmer area, including the Vanderwheele and Wolverine farms. In 1971, the [[National Outdoor Leadership School]] started operating wilderness education courses in the nearby Talkeetna and Chugach mountain ranges from a local historic farmhouse, the [[Berry House (Palmer, Alaska)|Berry House]], which is currently [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska|listed]] on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<!--Except that the farmhouse is actually about two miles north of city limits, in what appears to be the adjacent Farm Loop CDP. This article is supposed to be about the city of Palmer; Farm Loop has its own article.-->

Palmer and [[Wasilla]] are the two major old-town cores of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Population of the area has grown dramatically in the past decade; Borough officials estimate the local population at 8,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.matsugov.us/business.cfm |title=Matanuska-Susitna Borough |access-date=2013-06-June 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301150931/http://www.matsugov.us/business.cfm |archive-date=March 1, 2009-03-01 }}</ref>

Apart from road access, Palmer can be accessed by the [[Palmer Municipal Airport]] and the [[Palmer Depot]] of the [[Alaska Railroad]]. Neither of these has regularly scheduled service. However, when the Alaska State Fair operates, the Alaska Railroad operates a special train from Anchorage to Palmer (though it did not operate in 2021).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fair Trains {{!}} Alaska Railroad|url=https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/event-trains/fair-train|access-date=December 3, 2021-12-03|website=www.alaskarailroad.com}}</ref>

Palmer has a climate similar to [[Anchorage, Alaska#Climate|that of Anchorage]], although with low temperatures that are on average {{convert|1.4|F-change|1}} cooler and highs {{convert|0.8|F-change|1}} warmer. On average, over the course of a year, there are 28&ndash;29 days of sub-{{convert|0|°F|0}} lows, 22&ndash;23 days of {{convert|70|°F|0}}+ highs, and 0.8 days of {{convert|80|°F|0}}+ highs. The town straddles the border between [[Hardiness zone|USDA Plant Hardiness Zone]]s 4b and 5a, indicating the coldest temperature of the year is typically around {{convert|−20|°F|0}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shop.arborday.org/LookUp.aspx?nursery=true&zipcode=99645|website=shop.arborday.org|access-date=2020-01-January 14, 2020|title=What is my arborday.org Hardiness Zone?}}</ref> Palmer is flanked by two glaciers, the [[Matanuska Glacier]] and the [[Knik Glacier]].<!--Knik Glacier is reasonably close to Palmer. Matanuska Glacier, OTOH, is closer to 50 miles away.--> Wind blows through the Matanuska and Knik River Valleys into the town frequently. If there is a substantial snowfall, it will often sit for several days before most of it is blown away. These warm winds can raise winter temperatures for a couple days at a time, and are often called ''Chinook winds'' by the local people.

|access-date=2022-02-February 17, 2022}}</ref>

As of the [[2010 United States Census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 5,937 people, 1,472 households, and 1,058 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,206.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,555 housing units at an average density of {{convert|413.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup of the city]] was 80.9% White, 2.1% Black or African American, 8.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 6.3% from two or more races. 3.5% 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]].

Palmer is most noted in Alaska as the location of the annual Alaska State Fair, where Palmer's agricultural spirit lives on. The Alaska State Fair holds contests for largest vegetable in several categories, and many national and even world records have been recorded at the fair, with the cabbage, radish, spinach and lettuce categories usually dominating local interest. There are rides and festivities, local artists on display, local venders and food trucks, and popular musical artists at the ConcoPhilips Borealis Theatre. In 2008, Scott Robb of Palmer won 1st place and a $2,000 prize for his {{convert|79.1|lb|abbr=on}} cabbage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alaskastatefair.org/2008/results/index.html |title=Alaska State Fair - 2008 Events & Schedules |access-date=2008-09-September 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012005203/http://www.alaskastatefair.org/2008/results/index.html |archive-date=2008-10-October 12, 2008 }}</ref>

Palmer hosts a log cabin Visitor Information Center in the heart of downtown that entertains more than 35,000 visitors each year. Each summer, the visitor center employs a full-time gardener to maintain the {{convert|2|acre|m2}} of public gardens that showcase more than 600 locally grown plant varieties. The Palmer Museum of History and Art is located in the Visitor Information Center and offers visitors a chance to view artifacts from Palmer's history, provides maps to historical places to see and stocks guidebooks for more information on local attractions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Palmer Museum {{!}} United States|url=https://palmermuseum.org/|access-date=July 3, 2020-07-03|website=Palmer Museum|language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[Mat-Su Miners]], a franchise in the [[Alaska Baseball League]], a high-level summer collegiate baseball league, play their games at Hermon Brothers Field on the State Fairgrounds.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Summer League Spotlight: Rother rakes in Alaskan Baseball League |url=https://lehighsports.com/news/2021/6/28/summer-league-spotlight-rother-rakes-in-alaskan-baseball-league |access-date=2022-04-April 21, 2022 |website=Lehigh University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> Colony High School bands play pep rally music, and different venders get together to bring a large crowd to support. 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. [[Alaska Raceway Park]] is a nearby dragstrip. The Valley Steelers, a semi-pro football team within the Alaska Football League, play their home games at Palmer High School.

The Ya Ne Dah Ah School (YNDA School), operated by the Athabascan Nation Chickaloon Village, uses Alaska Native methods to teach children. It was established in 1992.<ref>"[http://www.chickaloon.org/departments/education/yaschool/ Ya Ne Dah Ah School]." [[Athabascan Nation]] Chickaloon Village. Retrieved on March 12, 2017.</ref> It is funded with grant money. In 2012 the school did not receive an annual grant which would allow it to fund Athna language and cultural programs, and it failed to receive [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] (BIA) funds since the BIA had a 1995 rule preventing it from funding Alaska Native programs.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lockyer, Ellen|url=http://www.alaskapublic.org/2012/10/19/tribal-school-could-lose-language-program/|title=Tribal School Could Lose Language Program |publisher=[[Alaska Public Media]] |date=October 19, 2012-10-19|access-date=March 12, 2017-03-12}}</ref>

* [[Ed Walker (American veteran)|Ed Walker]] (1917–2011), last surviving member of [[Castner's Cutthroats]], resided at Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home in Palmer<ref name=matsu>{{cite news|title=Last 'Cutthroat' dies at age 94|url=http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2011/10/31/opinion/editorials/doc4eaf752eeb63c305319893.txt|work=[[Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman]]|date=October 31, 2011-10-31|access-date=November 19, 2011-11-19}}</ref>

* [[Saroma, Hokkaido]], Japan<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asiamattersforamerica.org/asia/data/sister-partnerships|title=Data Visualizations – Asia – Sister Partnerships – Asia|website=Asia Matters for America|language=en|access-date=2020-01-January 14, 2020}}</ref>

On October 28, 1980,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sistercities.org/interactive-map/relationship/Palmer,%20Alaska/Saroma,%20Japan|title=Palmer, Alaska & Saroma, Japan|website=www.sistercities.org|language=en|access-date=February 2, 2018-02-02}}</ref> Palmer and Saroma agreed to a bilateral sister relation to promote cultural exchange and support a home-stay program for their residents.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cityofpalmer.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B109CCB05-12FD-4625-954A-A0B06472D13F%7D|title=Sister City Program - City of Palmer, Alaska|website=www.cityofpalmer.org|access-date=February 2, 2018-02-02}}</ref> The relationship began with a friendship formed between Mr. Mutsuhiro Ishiguro,<ref name=Siscity>"[http://www.cityofpalmer.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={109CCB05-12FD-4625-954A-A0B06472D13F} Sister City Program]." City of Palmer. Retrieved on March 13, 2017.</ref> an English teacher at Saroma High School,{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} and Palmer resident Edward Holmes. They met over their ham radios, and over time formed a friendship. Mr. Holmes eventually visited Saroma,<ref name=Siscity/> which then led to a delegation from Saroma to Palmer, where they signed the sister city accords. Since that time, additional relationships have formed under the auspices of the town connection.

The sister city relationship is managed by the {{Nihongo|Palmer Saroma Kai|パーマ・サロマ会}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saroma.hokkaido-c.ed.jp/lastinfo-kokusaikoryu.html |script-title=ja:国際交流（パーマ高校短期留学） |publisher=Saroma High School |access-date=2017-03-March 13, 2017 |archive-date=2017-07-July 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729220739/http://www.saroma.hokkaido-c.ed.jp/lastinfo-kokusaikoryu.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>