City of Pana Days Gone By

History of the Pana Community Hospital

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Huber Memorial Hospital and Nurses Home

Ground breaking for the hospital was in May 1913 and was ready to use by May of 1914. By the 1920's the hospital had outgrown itself and the money was raised for additional facilities. TheVilla St. John Nurses' Home was completed and opened in May 1923. This was the last addition to the Huber Memorial Hospital until ground was broken in Dec. 1953 for the erection of a new 42-bed annex. The new structure was 44x125 feet, basement and 3 floors to join the old hospital with Villa St. John.

History of the Pana Coal Mines

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Penwell Coal Mine

At one time, Pana like much of Christian County, was a major coal producer. The first Pana mine, the Pana Coal Company Mine No. 1, was opened in 1884. Penwell-Kitchell Coal Mining Co, Springfield Coal Mining Co, and the Smith-Lohr Coal Company followed. Between 1928 and 1941 all mines but one were shut down. The original Pana Coal Company Mine operated until 1948.
In 1947, work was started on the Peabody Mine No. 17. By fall of 1950, production was started. Initialy 5,500 tons a day were produced, and by the middle 50's output was 11,000 tons daily. All the Pana Mines are closed.

History of the Big Four and Central Illinois Depot

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The Big Four consisted of Illinois Central built in Pana in 1854, the New York Central in 1855, Baltimore & Ohio in 1869, and the Chicago & Eastern Illinois in 1904.

Old Pictures at the Park

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