General Palmer’s extraordinary actions and unostentatious generosity have awarded him an eternal legacy. Among the parks that he took part in forming are Monument Valley Park, Palmer Park, Boulder Park, Antler’s Park, and Acacia Park. Some miscellaneous places that he established were Colorado College, North Cheyenne Canyon, Alamo Square, and forestation and wide boulevards of downtown Colorado Springs. Also, Palmer donated the present day site of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, the site for the public library, and the Deaf and Blind Institute Library Fund. South Pueblo, Durango, and Colorado Springs can credit their existence to William J. Palmer. After building Colorado Springs, he built his dream home, called Glen Eyrie, near Garden of the Gods Park. Glen Eyrie is now owned by Focus on the Family and is used as a place for retreats. Of the four main railroads that he worked on, sections of two of them are still working today. The Kansas Pacific was bought by the Union Pacific, now one of America's leading transportation companies operating the largest railroad in North America. A 45 mile portion of the Denver and Rio Grande, now called the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and is still open today as a tourist line. In honor of the 20th anniversary of Palmer's death, a plaque was donated in his honor by George Peabody and the unveiling ceremony took place at Colorado College in 1929. General Palmer is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
