What is the Matanuska Valley Colony Compendium?
The Matanuska Valley Colony Compendium (MVCC) is a comprehensive, accessible archive developed by the Palmer Museum of History and Art (PMHA) to document and share the history of the Matanuska Valley Colony Project. The MVCC serves as a central resource for learning about this unique chapter in Alaskan and American history. It combines years of research into one publication, providing detailed profiles of each family assigned a tract in the project, including original colonists and their replacements. Each profile features images from our collection, summaries of the families’ lives before, during, and after the MVCP, and digitized primary source materials. All content is carefully cited to ensure data transparency and research integrity.
As the first published research project undertaken by PMHA since our founding in 2005, the MVCC reflects our museum’s mission: to inspire, enrich, and cultivate our community’s connection to the unique history, culture, and art of the Greater Palmer Area. It draws from our extensive Collections Management Database, which holds over 10,000 photographs and ~2,000 artifacts, many directly connected to the Colony Project. The compendium is designed for a broad audience—from casual visitors to dedicated historians. By compiling scattered historical records into a single, easy-to-navigate resource, the MVCC helps remove the barriers of time, distance, and inaccessibility that have long made research into Colony history difficult, particularly for descendants of colonists now living outside Alaska.
Importantly, while the MVCC is focused on the Colony Project, it also sets the stage for future research efforts by PMHA on early homesteaders and Indigenous communities in the region. It is not a complete or final record—some stories are left untold out of respect for privacy or due to gaps in available information—but it is a living archive. We welcome community contributions to help expand and refine the compendium in future editions. In short, the MVCC is a landmark archival initiative—a tool for discovery, connection, and understanding. It represents PMHA’s ongoing commitment to making local history not only preserved but truly accessible to all.
Why Now?
Over the years, the Palmer Museum of History and Art (PMHA) has received numerous inquiries from visitors, descendants, donors, and community members eager to learn about the Matanuska Valley Colony Project. Many descendants of the original colonists, some living far from Alaska, have sought access to information about their families, only to find it scattered, incomplete, or difficult to obtain. Travel expenses, time constraints, and unfamiliarity with archival research have posed significant barriers for those wishing to explore their heritage more deeply.
Thanks to the substantial growth of our museum’s collections, along with ongoing digitization and thorough research, we are uniquely positioned to make this information more accessible to the public. We remain committed to regularly updating the compendium to ensure its accuracy and richness. By actively engaging with descendants of the Colony Project, our staff and board gain valuable insights into our collections—and, in turn, help families reconnect with their histories.
How do I get involved?
If you have family connections to the Matanuska Valley Colony project, you can get involved by sharing personal stories, documents, photographs, or other family records related to the Colony. Your contributions will help enrich the historical record and ensure the project accurately reflects the experiences of those involved. To participate, you can fill out the form below to discuss how to share your family’s history or provide feedback on the research gathered so far.