Matanuska-Susitna Valley

[1] It is known for the world record sized cabbages and other vegetables displayed annually in Palmer at the Alaska State Fair.

[4] It is the fastest growing region in Alaska and includes the towns of Palmer, Wasilla, Big Lake, Houston, Willow, Sutton, and Talkeetna.

[6] The Mat-Su rivers and lakes are home to the spawning grounds of chinook, coho, sockeye, pink, and chum salmon.

[12] Families were specifically chosen from the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, due to their similarly cold winter climates.

[13] The 1939 Slattery Report on Alaskan development identified the region as one of the areas where new settlements would be established through Jewish immigration.