the Cook Inlet Coal Fields company established a town, mine, dock, and railroad after coal was discovered in the homer area in the 1890s. the town is named after homer pennock who arrived on the homer spit with his crew in 1896. in 1915, charles miller homesteaded what is now known as miller's landing for supply barges to unload their cargo. homer largely relies on the sport fishing industry as well as tourism and commercial fishing for its economy.