Palmer is small, peaceful, and  wonderfully “off the radar."

It’s the gateway to quieter, eastern parts of Savage Gulf State Park, which feature stunning backcountry trails and remote overlooks. This is where to go if you want space—not just no crowds, but actual solitude.  Just north of Palmer is Savage Gulf East trailhead, off State Route 399.  Savage Falls, the Savage Creek Cascade, several campgrounds and many overlooks of the 500-acre Werner Old Growth Forest — one of the few areas in the Southeast that were never timbered — can all be accessed from that trailhead.

The town also preserves its mining heritage through its Coal Miners’ Museum, which adds context to the landscape and the communities that shaped it.

The vibe’s basic, but very authentic. That’s exactly why people who value solitude enjoy it here.

History

Palmer, originally known as Tate’s Village, was incorporated in 1925 and renamed in honor of Clarence William Palmer (1850-1919), who owned much of the land upon which the town was established.

The area thrived during the early 20th Century due in part to coal mining operations, which you can learn more about at the Grundy County Miners Museum and Heritage Center in Palmer.