The history of chiropractic education began at Palmer College of Chiropractic, started by the profession’s founder, Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer. The science, art and philosophy of chiropractic evolved from D.D. Palmer’s years of independent research and study of human health and disease. Following the successful application of his knowledge to initial patients in 1895, he began teaching others in Davenport, Iowa. The first classes of the Palmer School and Cure (later known as the Palmer School of Chiropractic and, finally, Palmer College of Chiropractic) were held in 1897.
Palmer is the founding college of chiropractic. Palmer College created the foundation for this dynamic profession and is known as The Trusted Leader in Chiropractic Education®.
In many ways, the history of chiropractic is the story of four generations of Palmers; Daniel David Palmer, usually called D.D.; his son, Bartlett Joshua Palmer, D.C., called B.J., and B.J.’s wife, Mabel Heath Palmer, D.C.; B.J. and Mabel’s son, David D. Palmer, D.C., often called Dr. Dave; his wife, Agnes Mae High Palmer, D.C.; and their daughters, Bonnie Palmer
McCloskey, Jenny Wren Palmer Sutton, H.C.D. (Hon.), and Vickie Anne Palmer, H.C.D. (Hon.). Each of the Palmer daughters has served the College and Board of Trustees in various roles.
One of D.D. Palmer’s early students was his son, Dr. Bartlett Joshua Palmer. Upon completing the course of study, B.J. (as he came to be known throughout the world) headed the school from 1906 until his death in 1961. One of B.J.’s first acts was to incorporate the school and change the name to Palmer School of Chiropractic, which was chartered in 1907.
During B.J.’s years of leadership, international attention was brought to the chiropractic profession and the school. His drive, creativity and capacity for attracting strong faculty and administrators propelled the school forward. By 1920, three major buildings— Administration, D.D. Palmer Memorial and B.J. Palmer Hall—had been constructed. The first X-ray equipment in the chiropractic profession was in use in the classroom and the patient clinic. Clinical research also was underway.
Dr. Mabel Heath Palmer, B.J.’s wife and a Palmer graduate, was the treasurer of the school and a faculty member. She earned the title First Lady of Chiropractic for her untiring devotion to chiropractic, the school and its students. After her death in 1949, B.J. continued to accomplish new goals for the school and brought the curriculum to 4,320 hours in four academic years by 1950. To honor his wife, he constructed the Mabel Heath Palmer Laboratories in 1952.
With B.J. Palmer’s death in 1961, the Palmer presidency passed to his son, Dr. David Daniel Palmer. As did his father and grandfather before him, Dr. Dave, as he was known, brought his own brand of leadership to Palmer.
Referred to as The Educator, Dr. David D. Palmer, was born on the Palmer campus and raised among the faculty and students, Dr. Dave became president of Palmer in 1961. Dr. Dave graduated from the prestigious Wharton School of Finance & Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania in 1929. While at the Wharton School he focused on business, law and economics. He went on to attain his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer in 1938.
He’s recognized for changing the name of Palmer School of Chiropractic to Palmer College of Chiropractic, for forming the Palmer College of Chiropractic International Alumni Association, making significant progress toward official accreditation, establishing non-profit status for the College, and for modernizing the campus. He died in 1978.
At the time of Dr. Dave’s death, his dreams were still materializing. The College was accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education in 1979 and by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1984.
On Oct. 17, 1980, Palmer College acquired Northern California College of Chiropractic, which became Palmer College of Chiropractic West in San Jose, California. Twenty-two years later, on Oct. 4, 2002, the College opened Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida in Port Orange, Florida.
In 2022, the Palmer College Board of Trustees made the difficult decision to phase out Palmer West and the campus closed in 2025.
It was while Vickie Anne Palmer, H.C.D., was chairman of the Palmer Board of Trustees that the concept of Palmer’s multi-campus system was developed. Known as The Refiner of Chiropractic, Vickie Anne Palmer has built on her family heritage by providing leadership to the chiropractic mission.
Like her sisters, Bonnie Palmer McCloskey and Jenny Wren Palmer Sutton, H.C.D. (Hon.), Vickie Anne Palmer grew up on the Palmer campus and has served the College and Board of Trustees in various roles.
She joined the Palmer Board of Trustees in 1978 and was elected chairman in 1987. As Board chairman, she was instrumental in developing the concept of Palmer’s multi-campus system. In 2008, she officially concluded her 21-year tenure as chairman, though she continues to serve on the Board as secretary general and as a member of the Executive Committee.
Palmer College has spawned legends and led the way for the growth of the profession and chiropractic education. It has sent more than 40,000 alumni out to practice throughout the world. More than one-third of the world’s chiropractors are Palmer graduates. The halls and corridors echo the voices of the past and the present.
Palmer has created the foundation for this dynamic profession and is a leader in the field of health care.
