Panama, Nebraska facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Panama, Nebraska
Village
Downtown Panama: Locust Street
Location of Panama, Nebraska
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
County	Lancaster
Government
• Type	Board of Trustees
Area
• Total	0.28 sq mi (0.74 km2)
• Land	0.28 sq mi (0.74 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,404 ft (428 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	235
• Density	827.46/sq mi (319.69/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	68419
Area code(s)	402
FIPS code	31-38225
GNIS feature ID	2399618
Website	http://lancaster.ne.gov/panama/

Panama is a small village located in Lancaster County, Nebraska, in the United States. It's part of the larger Lincoln area. According to the 2020 census, 235 people live in Panama.

History of Panama Village

How Panama Was Founded

The story of Panama began in 1879. At that time, a group called the Panama Cemetery Association was formed. They worked together to raise money and dig a well for the community.

Panama wasn't always in the exact spot it is today. The original settlement was about a mile south. It moved to be closer to the railway, which was very important for travel and trade back then.

Official Founding and Early Rules

The village was officially founded on April 30, 1888. This happened on land that used to belong to Moses J. Mitton, John Forrest, and Gilbert F. Steeves.

A unique rule was part of the village's early history. According to local stories, a descendant of Gilbert F. Steeves, Caroline "Carrie" Steeves, added a special clause. This rule said that if the village ever allowed businesses to sell alcohol, the Steeves family could take back the land they had given to the village.

Becoming an Incorporated Village

Panama officially became an "incorporated" village in 1904. This means it became an official town with its own local government. When this happened, new rules and laws were put in place. These rules were updated again in 1977.

Even with new rules, it is still not allowed to sell alcohol in the village. This shows how important that original agreement was to the community.

Why the Name Panama?

The village was likely named after the Isthmus of Panama. This area was very famous around the time Panama, Nebraska, was founded. This was because the United States was involved in building the Panama Canal, a huge project connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Geography of Panama

Panama is a small village, covering a total area of about 0.28 square miles (0.74 square kilometers). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within the village limits.

Population and People

Panama's Population Over Time

The population of Panama has changed over the years. You can see how many people lived there in different census years in the table above. In 2020, the population was 235 people.

Who Lives in Panama? (2010 Census)

In 2010, there were 256 people living in Panama. Most residents were White. A small number of people identified as African American, Asian, or from two or more races.

There were 90 households in the village. Many of these households (41.1%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (66.7%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.84 people.

The average age of people in Panama in 2010 was 38 years old. About 32.4% of residents were under 18. Also, 11.3% of residents were 65 years old or older. The village had slightly more males (53.1%) than females (46.9%).

Notable People from Panama

• Robert Dinsmore Harrison - He was a U.S. Congressman from 1951 to 1959.

See also

In Spanish: Panama (Nebraska) para niños