Matanuska Colony Project

Matanuska Colony Project. Palmer. , INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX , The Matanuska Colony Project provided not only farms, schools and administration buildings, but also power and processing plants. The cannery, creamery, and vegetable sorting center helped to distribute farm products. A rail line ran between the buildings for efficient transportation to Anchorage and Fairbanks., Two buildings were constructed between 1935 and 1936 to process and sell farm products. In 1939 the farmers formed a cooperative called the Matanuska Valley Cooperating Association (MVFCA) to take over the farm processing and distribution programs. The Matanuska Maid logo was adopted as their trademark., Both buildings served as a hub for the farming community. The west wing of the front building in 1940 became the Trading Post. Local dairies used the east wing to serve as the milk bottling plant and distribution center. After removal of the bottling plant to other locations, the east wing expanded to accommodate greater output of dairy products. Ice cream under the Matanuska Maid label in the 1950s won national honors., CREAMERY , In the 1960s the front building became a hardware store and the rear building continued to serve as a warehouse and produce storage. Following the disbanding of the cooperative in 1985 new uses are being explored for the remaining warehouse building., WAREHOUSE , The back warehouse still stands. It was used for feed, seed and fertilizer, with the basement being used for produce. It was here that vegetables were sorted, weighed and packed for distribution. Some local products were sold in the front building the rest were shipped out to other major cities.