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 Isthmu…
Passages that mention Panama, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the city of Lincoln, Nebraska1889 · page 55Read the page →
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had the pleasure of assisting to build the first stationary engine ever manufactured in Nebraska, in the shop of Hall Brothers. From Omaha he went to work at his trade on the Erie & Susquehanna Railroad, and a fe\Y months later became connected with the Panama Company, on the Isthmus of Panama; this was in 1869. He spent two and one-half years on the Isthmus, two of which he was foreman of the shops there. At the end of that period he was called to Peru to assist in the mechanical department of the railroad Henry Meigs
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