Pana Historical Society

04/29/2026

🚂 Big Boy is Rolling Through Central Illinois! 🇺🇸

Exciting news for rail fans and history lovers — Union Pacific’s legendary Big Boy steam locomotive is making its way through Central Illinois!

Unfortunately, the train will not pass through Pana this year, but it will be traveling through nearby communities, offering a rare chance to see this incredible piece of living history in action.

If you’re able to make a short trip, it’s well worth it to witness one of the largest and most powerful steam engines ever built!

📍 Check the shared post below for route details and viewing locations.

Let’s hope a future tour brings Big Boy back our way! 🚂✨



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dxym7NeRB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

04/21/2026

Memorial Day is coming up and it would be great to have all of the faded banners replaced downtown.

If you want to have a new banner made see the flyer below.

12/25/2024

10/09/2023

Attention!

If you are a coin collector or know someone who is from the Pana area OR, if you want a piece of Pana history to pass down to your grandkids, do not miss this opportunity!

The Pana Historical Society has authorized the first Pana Chautauqua collector’s series commemorative token to be produced in a very limited quantity for this year’s Chautauqua that is being held this weekend at Kitchell Park in Pana.

These are large silver dollar size tokens and they are packaged in an hermetically sealed pouch to keep them free from damage.

The tokens will be on sale in the Chautauqua Pavillion today and MAYBE tomorrow for only $20 and will sell out fast!

The Pana Historical Society plans to produce these commerative tokens each year for the Chautauqua event. Each year will have a different date and theme.

Don’t wait or it will be too late to get one of this years beautiful great collectible tokens.

09/08/2023

Only three more tickets left for the afternoon of Oct. 28!!!!!

We are back for a second year! New locations, new stories. Revisit a location from last year with new stories over the past year. Come join us and learn about local EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenonenom), sightings, unexplained occurances, and more, with some local history and lore thrown in. We are pla...