Panama is a village in Lancaster County,

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

, United States. It is part of the

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

. The population was 235 at the 2020 census.

History

In 1879, the Panama Cemetery Association was formed and raised funds to dig a well. Panama was originally founded one mile south of its present location but was moved in order to be closer to the railway. In 1888, the village was officially founded on land that was previously owned by Moses J. Mitton, John Forrest, and Gilbert F. Steeves. According to local folk history, the village's original by-laws contained a clause inserted by a descendant of Gilbert F. Steeves, Caroline "Carrie" Steeves, which stated that if the village allowed any business to sell alcohol in the village, the Steeves family would reclaim the land they had deeded to the village. Panama was incorporated as a village in 1904. New by-laws and ordinances were enacted when the village was incorporated and again in 1977, but it is still illegal to sell alcohol in the village. The village was likely named after the Isthmus of Panama, which had gained notoriety at the time due to the United States' involvement in building the Panama Canal.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the village has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 256 people, 90 households, and 66 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 100 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.8%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.4%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, and 0.4% from two or more races. There were 90 households, of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 2.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.7% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.36. The median age in the village was 38 years. 32.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.3% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 53.1% male and 46.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 253 people, 97 households, and 77 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 101 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.81%

, 0.79%

and 0.40%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.79% of the population. There were 97 households, out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 2.96. In the village, the population was spread out, with 30.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the village was $47,841, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $36,563 versus $18,750 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $17,596. None of the families and 1.4% of the population were living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

Notable people

Robert Dinsmore Harrison Robert Dinsmore Harrison (January 26, 1897 – June 11, 1977) was a Nebraska Republican politician. Born on a farm near Panama, Nebraska on January 26, 1897, he graduated from Nebraska State Teachers College, now known as Peru State College in ...

- U.S. Congressman 1951-1959.

References

External links

{{authority control Villages in Lancaster County, Nebraska Villages in Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska metropolitan area