Recent history of the Mat-Maid building

In the earliest days of Palmer, the Mat-Maid co-op and warehouse buildings served the area's population of farmers and homesteaders by selling not only milk and farm goods, but tools and equipment for the entire area. However, as years went by and the buildings gradually lost their utility in this respect, their presence in the public eye diminished. The most recent years of the property's history, however, are perhaps the most troubled.

In 1997, the city of Palmer began soliciting requests from both individuals and corporations for possible uses of the property. Several proposals were received, and the lot was handed over to Heritage Properties LLC in a December 2000 agreement. Heritage released a timeline detailing their plans for the property, which included designing a new use for the co-op building in 2002 and a buildout of the project in 2003.

However, in February 2003, the co-op building, containing the cannery and creamery, was destroyed by arson. Three Palmer juveniles were apprehended in the case. The co-op site was razed and covered with gravel by Heritage, and the remaining warehouse building stood vacant.

In April of 2003, a series of public comment sessions on the property were held, in which Heritage officials addressed questions concerning their intentions for the land from the public. In these sessions, residents voiced concerns that Heritage was not following through on their 2000 commitments to the project.

In early 2004, a grassroots organization concerned with the fate of the building was formed. This group, called the Matanuska Cultural and Historical Project, brought together local artists, politicians and activists who envisioned the warehouse being used as a museum or art gallery.

The recent interest of the state in the fate of the property, however, may mark the beginning of the end of its chain of misfortunes.