Palmer, Potter (1826-1902)

US merchant and real estate entrepreneur. His innovative practices - such as allowing customer returns and advertising and displaying merchandise - became known as the ‘Palmer system’ and led to great success. As a real estate developer, although most of his early buildings were destroyed in the great fire of 1871, he built many roads, homes, and commercial structures. His Palmer House hotel soon became internationally famous.

He was born in Albany County, New York. He had his own dry goods stores in upstate New York before he moved to Chicago in 1852 and opened one there. Overworked and ailing, in 1867 he turned the store over to his partners. After three years of recuperating in Europe, he returned to Chicago and became a real estate developer. Active in civic affairs, he was commissioner of the South Side park system and the first president of the Chicago Baseball Club.