Berry House (Palmer, Alaska)

Berry House is a historic house located in Palmer, Alaska. Constructed as part of the Matanuska Valley Colony project during the Great Depression, it represents a significant example of the federal government's efforts to resettle struggling families from the Midwest to Alaska.

The house was one of approximately 200 dwellings built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and other federal agencies to house the colonists. These houses were designed with a standardized, functional aesthetic, intended to provide practical living spaces suitable for agricultural life.

The specific historical significance of Berry House stems from its association with one of the original colonist families who resided there. The identity of the "Berry" family, their contributions to the colony, and the history of their time in the house contribute to the broader narrative of the Matanuska Colony and its impact on the region's development.

Berry House, along with other surviving colony structures, serves as a tangible reminder of this ambitious social experiment and the challenges and successes faced by the settlers. It is a contributing property to the Matanuska Colony National Historic Landmark, designated in 1985, highlighting the importance of preserving these historical resources.