Palmer College of Chiropractic is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

chiropractic college with its main campus in

Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...

. It was established in 1897 by

Daniel David Palmer Daniel David Palmer (March 7, 1845 – October 20, 1913) was a Canadian-born American spiritualist and activist best known for creating chiropractic. Palmer was born in Pickering Township, Canada West, but emigrated to the United States in 186 ...

and was the first school of chiropractic in the world. The college's name was originally the Palmer School and Cure and later became the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Most early chiropractic schools were founded by Palmer alumni.

History

The Palmer School of Chiropractic was begun by

, who is the Founder of Chiropractic. His son, B. J. Palmer, is considered the Developer of Chiropractic because he greatly expanded the scope of the school and laid the foundation for the campus and profession that exists today. He assumed responsibility for the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1904. According to the Palmer College website, B. J. Palmer's "contributions included extensive research, improved methods of spinal adjusting and analysis, higher standards for chiropractic education, and increased appreciation for chiropractic worldwide". After B. J. Palmer died in 1961, his son David D. Palmer became president of the school and changed its name to Palmer College of Chiropractic, which was one of the steps leading to the school's accreditation. "Dr. Dave", as he was known, modernized the campus, established non-profit status for the college, and organized the Palmer College of Chiropractic International Alumni Association. The college received accreditation from the Council on Chiropractic Education and the

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It ...

largely through his leadership, but not until after he died in 1978. The college opened campuses in

San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...

in 1980 and in

Port Orange, Florida Port Orange is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area. Port Orange is a principal city in the Fun Coast region of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 c ...

in 2002. The college was once encompassed by the Palmer Chiropractic University System. While it is no longer a university system, Palmer is one college with three campuses, with the main campus located in Davenport, Iowa, and branch campuses (the San Jose campus and the Port Orange campus). The college is a non-profit organization governed by a single Board of Trustees.

Davenport, Iowa campus

The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research was established in 1995 and is also located on the Davenport, Iowa campus in the William and Jo Harris Building. The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research is the largest and most highly funded research effort in the chiropractic educational community. The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research encompasses all three Palmer campuses and employs a Vice Chancellor of Research and Health Policy, a research director, ten full-time faculty, eight associate faculty, and 23 administrative and professional staff with a total annual budget of approximately $5 million per year, much of which is supported by grants and contracts. The campus consists of new as well as historic buildings. The Palmer College of Chiropractic Academic Health Center (opened in 2007), which contains the College's outpatient clinic, welcome center, Clinical Radiology Department (featuring digital radiology), Chiropractic Rehabilitation and Sports Injury Department, and the Clinical Learning Resource Center. Other buildings include the David D. Palmer Health Sciences Library, the Memorial Building (the oldest building on campus), Campus Center, B.J. and Mabel Palmer Residence, Vickie Anne Palmer Hall, among others.

Port Orange campus

Palmer's Florida campus is located in

. The Palmer Port Orange campus was opened in 2002.

San Jose campus

Palmer's West campus is located in

. The San Jose Campus will close in June 2025. The Palmer board decided in mid-March 2022 to close the campus due to the "escalation of the building lease, the high cost of living, the employment market, and the college's cost to deliver the program in California compelled the decision to phase out the West campus".

Accreditation

The Doctor of Chiropractic Degree Program of Palmer College of Chiropractic’s campuses is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). Palmer College of Chiropractic’s campuses are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the

Athletics

Palmer College Dragons Hockey

Palmer College of Chiropractic men's hockey team, known as the Palmer Dragons, is part of the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA) and American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II.

Palmer College Rugby Football Club

Palmer College Rugby Football Club (RFC) was established in 1960. Palmer College RFC offers both partial and full Rugby scholarships for tuition.

Men’s Rugby Team

Palmer College of Chiropractic men's rugby team, known as Palmer College Dragons, currently plays in the competitive Midwest Division II conference. :National Titles: 1972, 1973,

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

, and 1979 :Final Four USA Rugby Championships: Fourth place in 1995, 2001, and 2010, and third place in 2011 and 2012.

Women's Rugby Team

Palmer College of Chiropractic women's rugby team, also known as Palmer College Dragons, plays in the competitive Midwest Division II conference.

Intramurals

Intramural sports, available to the Palmer Community, include flag football, softball, basketball, bowling,

pickleball Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two or four players use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played i ...

, and volleyball.

Outreach clinics

Palmer College of Chiropractic has Palmer Community Outreach Clinics, at all campus locations, to serve economically and socially disadvantaged community members at reduced or no cost expenses (who meet financial need requirements). The Quad Cities area has two outreach clinics located in

and

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in the 2020 census, it is the largest city in Rock Island County and the List of municipalities in Illinois, ninth-most populous in Illinois outside ...

. The Daytona Beach area has one outreach clinic located in South

Daytona, Florida Daytona Beach is a coastal resort city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. Located on the East Coast of the United States, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropo ...

. The South Bay area has five satellite outreach clinics. These outreach clinics improve opportunities for student interns and provide chiropractic services for patients visiting the facilities.

Notable alumni

* A. A. Adams, chiropractor and former member of the

Washington House of Representatives The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 ...

Sylva Ashworth Sylva Ashworth (1874–1958) was an American chiropractor, who played a significant role in developing the chiropractic field. She was the founder of the Universal Chiropractors' Association (now known as American Chiropractic Association). Af ...

, a chiropractor, who played a significant role in developing the chiropractic field *

Frank Farkas Frank Farkas is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives. Biography Farkas was born on May 17, 1956, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg Junior College, Palmer College of Chiropract ...

, former member of the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

James A. Glisson James A. Glisson (January 6, 1939 – September 30, 2021) was a chiropractor and state legislator in Florida. Glisson was born in Jackson County, Florida. He attended Palmer College and earned a degree in chiropractic studies He served in the F ...

, state legislator in Florida *

Clarence Gonstead Clarence Selmer Gonstead (July 23, 1898 – October 2, 1978) was an American chiropractor. He created the Gonstead technique. He established a large chiropractic facility in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Early life Clarence Gonstead was born in Willo ...

, creator of the Gonstead technique, and founder of one of the largest ever chiropractic clinics in

Mount Horeb, Wisconsin Mount Horeb is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,754 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the Madison metropolitan area. History The Ho-Chunk nation The Village of Mount Horeb is par ...

* Ben Hansen, a chiropractor elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2018. *

Mabel Heath Palmer Mabel Heath Palmer (June 5, 1885 – March 30, 1949) was an American chiropractic, chiropractor and anatomy, anatomist. She was married to B.J. Palmer and was known as the "First Lady of Chiropractic". Career Palmer graduated from the Palmer Sch ...

, first female chiropractor, author of the first anatomy textbook for chiropractic students, and founder of Sigma Phi Chi, the world's first chiropractic sorority *

Forrest C. Shaklee Forrest Clell Shaklee (November 27, 1894 – December 15, 1985) was an American chiropractor, philosopher and entrepreneur. He founded the Shaklee Corporation with his sons. Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee is credited with creating the first vitamin in ...

, creator of the first multivitamin in the US, philosopher, and entrepreneur *

Joshua N. Haldeman Joshua Norman Haldeman (November 25, 1902 – January 13, 1974) was an American-born Canadian-South African chiropractor, aviator, and politician. He became involved in Canadian politics, backing the technocracy movement, before moving to South Af ...

, prominent chiropractor in Canada and South Africa

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmer College of Chiropractic Chiropractic schools in the United States Education in Davenport, Iowa Buildings and structures in Davenport, Iowa Universities and colleges established in 1897 Tourist attractions in Davenport, Iowa Universities and colleges in Volusia County, Florida 1897 establishments in Iowa Private universities and colleges in Florida Private universities and colleges in California Private universities and colleges in Iowa