Palmer, Alaska ~ An Agrarian Frontier

Signing of Treaty of Cessation, March 30, 1867
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March 30, 1867 - The Treaty of Cessation authorizes the United States purchase of Alaska from Russia.


Known as "Seward's Folly," the United States reaches a Treaty with Russia to purchase Alaska for $7.2 million - roughly a mere 2 cents and acre.

Captain Glenn and Captain Culp, Portage Bay, 1898
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1898 - The Edwin Glenn U.S. Army Expedition commences through south-central Alaska and the first United States Department of Agriculture Experimental Station in Alaska is built in Sitka. 


In his journal, Edwin Glenn records the botany he observes in the Matanuska Valley, noting the potential for farming and growing crops.


After the Sitka USDA post is established seed packages are sent out between 1900 - 1903 to 750 settlers across south-central Alaska. One of these posts is manned by George Palmer, a settler in the Matanuska area who plants seeds and reports back in his letters to the USDA how fertile the Matanuska valley is for planting root vegetables with little experience and no fertilizer.

Independence Mine, Alaska
courtesy americaslibrary.gov

1906 - Gold is discovered in the Talkeetna Mountains just north of present day Palmer, Alaska.


Independence Mine is developed and an influx of miners causes population growth in the Matanuska - Susitna area as well as higher demand for goods and services. 

The Sourdough arriving at Eska Creek Spur, March 19, 1917
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October, 1917 - The Matanuska Spur of the Alaska Railroad is completed.


A transportation route to the Matanuska Valley is now in place for rail transport of coal as well as other material goods and travelers.

Matanuska Valley colonists disembarking from
Alaska Railroad locomotive, Matanuska Valley, Alaska.
May 10, 1935
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1935 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt implements the New Deal.


As part of the New Deal the Matanuska Colony is created by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. As one of 100 relief colonies created by the New Deal, the Matanuska Colony creates a new beginning for 204 families displaced by drought in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Each of these families move to what would become the future site of Palmer, in the [then] territory of Alaska, to farm 40 acre tracts of land.

courtesy cityofpalmer.org 

April, 1951 - The City of Palmer incorporates.
Palmer becomes an official Alaskan city 8 years prior to Alaskan statehood.




Cause-Effect Statements
1. The purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 created a knowledge gap for the United States government concerning the resources the newly acquired land had to offer which lead to the establishment of the Sitka US Department of Agriculture Experimental Station and the Edwin Glenn US Army Expedition, both of 1898. 


2. The Edwin Glenn expedition of 1898 and the reports of the Sitka USDA station between 1900-1903 caused government documentation of the fertileness of the Matanuska Valley to be on file which was partially responsible for the Matanuska Colony being a chosen site for one of the New Deal colonies established in 1935.


3. The discovery of gold in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley region in 1906 caused an influx of miners to the Talkeetna mountain range and lead to the need for rail transportation infrastructure that was filled by the establishment of the Matanuska Spur of the Alaska Railroad in 1917.


4. The Matanuska Spur of the Alaska Railroad, established in 1917, enabled a rail route to be present from Turnagain Arm to the Matanuska Valley causing the Matanuska Valley to be a prime location for a new colony as there was adequate transportation for families to be relocated to the Matanuska area.


5. With 204 new families thrust into the Matanuska Valley in 1935, and the presence of miners already in the Matanuska area, the population explosion in the Matanuska Valley lead to a high demand for goods and services any midwestern town could provide causing the city government of Palmer to incorporate in 1951.