Massachusetts Town Uses The Force to Inform New Residents

Palmer, a town in Western Massachusetts, is keeping new residents informed with some subtle Star Wars humor.

About 100 miles west of SouthCoast -- not in a galaxy far, far away -- the 12,000-resident town clearly has a Star Wars fan at the helm.

On its official website, next to a welcome message from the town manager, is the photo above. You might recognize the people in it. Yes, that would be Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and a young Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) of the Star Wars saga. If the doctored image looks familiar, that's because it first took the internet by storm a few years ago.

Get our free mobile app

Ryan Mcnutt takes responsibility. The town manager has been working on rehabilitating the site.

"Most town websites are the same and kind of bland," he said. "I thought, why not some Easter eggs to make it more fun? Yes, I am a lifelong fan of Star Wars."

If you visit the Town of Palmer New Resident website, McNutt shows just how much of a fan he is.

Palmer is worth the buzz, McNutt said. It has a lot going on, including a renovated candlepin bowling alley. The town also is working on a competitive-level disc-golf course in one of its larger parks. Liberty Plaza is under construction and there are new restaurants right off the Mass Pike exit. That's just the beginning. McNutt alluded to other exciting things coming to town that he can't yet disclose.

It sounds like the Town of Palmer is just getting started.

As McNutt put it, "The Solos are a fun family, and we are seeing the Rise of Palmer. Or maybe it’s Palmer Strikes Back."

Star Wars jokes aside, can we discuss how fitting is the good-natured town manager's last name is?

We love it!