Filmed on Thursday, June 8 2023, I drive around the village Pana, IL to see what's going on.

The name "Pana" is said to have been derived from the Pawnee Native American tribe. The exact reason behind the selection of this name is uncertain.

Pana was founded in 1845 as a planned community by John R. Jones, an attorney from Kentucky. The town was strategically located along the Illinois Central Railroad, which greatly contributed to its early growth and development.

Pana's early development was closely tied to the railroad industry. The presence of the Illinois Central Railroad attracted businesses and settlers, leading to the town's rapid growth. By the late 19th century, Pana became a significant industrial center, with coal mining, agriculture, and manufacturing as major economic drivers. The town was known for its production of railroad ties, bricks, and agricultural products.

In the early 20th century, the city experienced several labor strikes and clashes between workers and mine owners. One of the most significant incidents was the Pana Riot of 1899, a violent conflict between miners and strikebreakers that resulted in casualties on both sides.

While the immediate violence was quelled, black miners 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.

Pana 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.

The annual Pana Labor Day Parade is attended by up to 15,000 people, the largest such event in all of Illinois.

As of the 2020 census there were 5,199 people residing in the town.

The racial makeup of the town was 95.48% White, 0.38% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 3.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,701, and the per capita income for the town was $23,692. About 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

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