Seat of the Matanuska Susitna Borough's Government, 42 miles from Anchorage, Palmer began its existence a train station on the Alaska Railroad.

In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented a program to colonize the area and families from Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin traveled by rail to settle and begin farming. Many of the descendants of those early colonists still live and operate businesses in the area.

Palmer hosts the Alaska State fair, where many national and even world record sized vegetables have won ribbons.