Pana, Illinois

Tracks and depots of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad in Pana, 1913

Pana was first known as Stone Coal Precinct when it was founded on June 6, 1845. The name was later changed to Pana Township on September 2, 1856. In 1857, the village of Pana was incorporated. The name "Pana" is derived from the American Indian tribe, the Pawnee.[3] It developed at the intersection of east-west and north-south railroads, and had supplies of fuel and water for the steam engines of the railroad.

This became a center of coal mining in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In April 1899 what is known as the Pana riot broke out after a violent confrontation between black and white miners. Initially a white man was killed (by a policeman, it was later discovered), and white union miners attacked black replacement workers who had been recruited from Alabama. Six additional people were killed: one white (likely also shot by a white man) and five blacks; in addition, six more black miners were wounded. While the immediate violence was quelled, blacks felt tremendous hostility. Rather than return to Alabama and the Jim Crow South, from where they had been recruited, 211 of the nearly 300 African Americans remaining in town moved west to Weir, Kansas, to work at another mine.[4]

It came to be known as the City of Roses, a nickname coined by local newsmen, the Jordan Brothers. Many major florists and growers set up shop here. At one time, there were 109 greenhouses in Pana.

Kitchell Park, one of the few parks listed in the United States National Register of Historic Places, is located in Pana and was added to the Register in 1992.

The Louis Jehle House, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, is also located in Pana.

According to the 2010 census, Pana has a total area of 4.148 square miles (10.74 km²), of which 3.84 square miles (9.95 km²) (or 92.57%) is land and 0.308 square miles (0.80 km²) (or 7.43%) is water.[5]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 5,614 people, 2,317 households, and 1,443 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,101.7 people per square mile (811.8/km²). There were 2,532 housing units at an average density of 947.9 per square mile (366.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.09% White, 0.07% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.50% of the population.

There were 2,317 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 19.6% of those individuals were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,611, and the median income for a family was $35,406. Males had a median income of $30,519 versus $18,675 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,897. About 11.5% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.

• Nin Alexander (1858–1933), player for the Kansas City Unions and the St. Louis Browns, born in Pana[8]
• Warren Amling (1924–2001), football and basketball player, played for Ohio State, 1984 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, born in Pana
• Michael J. Budds, (1947-2020) musicologist, author, and philanthropist
• Howard Graham Buffett (1954-), author, activist and philanthropist, owns a farm in rural Pana
• Thomas Henry Carter (1854–1911), senator, grew up in Pana
• Ed Coady (born c. 1867), quarterback for Notre Dame, born in Pana
• Pat Coady (1867–1943), quarterback for Notre Dame, born in Pana
• Mike Cvengros (1900–1974), pitcher with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs, born in Pana
• John Wesley Fribley (1906–2002), state senate (1934–1952)[9]
• Garet Garrett (1878–1954), 20th-century econo-political commentator and author[10]
• Hector Honore (1905–1983), race car driver and owner, died in Pana and was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in 1991
• Jeff Keener (b. 1959), pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Dick Klein (b. 1934–2005), All-Star offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, the Boston Patriots, and the Oakland Raiders, born in Pana
• Albert Marsh (1877–1944), inventor of chromel, born in Pana
• Vincent Sheean (1899–1975), war correspondent and author of the book Personal History, born in Pana[11]
• Herb Siegert (1924–2008), former guard for the Washington Redskins, born in Pana (1924)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pana, Illinois.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Pana.

• City website