Palmer is a city in Alaska, located in the Matanuska Valley, It is surrounded by the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains. Palmer is most noted in Alaska as the place of the yearly Alaska State Fair. Twelve miles north of Palmer is Hatcher pass. The pass is a state park and is home of the Independence Mine. Also in the past Palmer served as a gateway to the Alaska interior for fur traders, trappers, gold miners and serves as place where people can live a life on the frontier.