Colony Days, then and now

PALMER— Colony Days are back and bigger than ever. This long standing tradition and community gathering has many events on the list, and the downtown area of Palmer will bustle and boom this weekend as people come from all over to celebrate the area’s colonial roots and the foundation formed by family farms.

“There’s lots of new people, with remnants of the old still here,” said Gayle Rowland, an original “Colony Kid” from the first wave of farmers back in 1935.

More specifically, Rowland is one of the few “Boat Kids” who came here on a boat from Washington. She was 3 years old when her parents decided to head up north from Minnesota.

The Eckert family came here alongside some 200 other families from Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota as a part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, giving farmers a second chance, leaving their barren lands to restart their lives in Alaska.

“They saw the opportunity to try something new,” Rowland said.

Her parents met at Washington State University. Her father already had romantic notions of braving the wild north and after the two got married and had children, they migrated to Palmer.

“That was his ticket up here,” Rowland laughed.

Rowland’s father drew a slip of paper (lot #100) from a box and got a 40-acre lot, down the road from where Palmer High School is now. Most of the farmers got 40 acres but some received 80 acres if the soil was poor, according to Rowland.

The original family house is gone thanks to highway expansion, but Rowland’s new house is sitting on the same hill she grew up on, overlooking downtown Palmer with the water tower in sight. The iconic tower often orients locals as they walk around small and cozy town.

“It’s rare for an Alaskan city to have a center,” Rowland said.

Rowland typically comes downtown for the annual tradition of Colony Days but this year, she will be busy with her grandson’s wedding.

A lot has changed since 1935. Many of the farmlands have been turned into subdivisions, leaving family names on street signs. Rowland fingered over her copy of one of the original platting maps. The map was covered in family farm names, most of which are gone now, making way for progress.

Colony Days started about 30 years ago and Rowland has been to most of them. She was there for the first state fair, back when it was in the school gymnasium. This was just one year after the farmers got settled and they wanted to celebrate their crops, the success of their agricultural experiment and their New Deal.

The old school house is the current Mat-Su Borough building, seemingly symbolizing Palmer as the lasting center of the Valley and the foundation of modern Alaska.

Where the library is now is where Rowland used to play baseball with her friends. During the actual Colony Days, kids spent most of their time outside. When it wasn’t for work their childhood games like kick the can were played outdoors. There wasn’t much free time for anyone during the colonial days, for adults and kids alike.

“I remember having a lot of playmates,” Rowland said.

When Rowland wasn’t in school, she was most often doing her chores. This was a time where chores weren’t just character building, they were essential for the family farm’s survival as they figured out how to make this harsh environment livable.

“All the kids did chores then,” Rowland said.

When it comes to Palmer’s history, Rowland said, “It’s not very old.”

Normally, when Rowland visits Colony Days, she tours the familiar Colony House Museum. The memories flood back and she thinks of her parent’s legacy.

“It was their life pretty much. They were very involved. They were into belonging- even more so than I am,” Rowland said.

The parade is another favorite for Rowland, essentially the central and most popular highlight of the event.

“I don’t know how political it will be this year…” Rowland chuckled.

The 2018 Colony Day celebration will be jam packed with activities according to event coordinator, and Palmer City Councilwoman, Sabrena Combs.

A notable new event the Palmer Chamber hopes will become another annual tradition is the Street Dance event that will shut down the bar district for an epic block party dance.

“Pretty much everything is free which is amazing,” Combs said.

Tourists and locals alike can get in touch with Palmer’s fresh history by taking a walking tour with Palmer Museum, every day at 1 p.m. People can be led by a guide or grab a headset and walk themselves on their own audio tour of the town.

“There’s something for everyone,” Combs said.

For a full Colony Days schedule, visit: www.palmerchamber.org/colony-days