Panaca, Nevada | |
|---|---|
 Main Street in Panaca, 2012 | |
  Panaca Location within the state of Nevada Show map of Nevada Panaca Panaca (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:37°47′28″N114°23′20″W / 37.79111°N 114.38889°W /37.79111; -114.38889 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nevada |
| County | Lincoln |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.98 km2 (3.08 sq mi) |
| • Land | 7.98 km2 (3.08 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.00 km2 (0 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 870 |
| • Density | 109.07/km2 (282.5/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 89042 |
| Area code | 775 |
| FIPS code | 32-54200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583949[2] |
| Website | www |
| Reference no. | 39 |
Panaca is anunincorporated town[3] in easternLincoln County,Nevada, United States, onState Route 319, about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) east ofU.S. Route 93, near the border withUtah. Itselevation is 4,729 feet (1,441 meters) above sea level. As of the2010 census, it had a population of 963.[4] It is one of only two cities in Nevada that prohibits gambling, the other beingBoulder City.[5]
The area that was to become the Panaca settlement was explored byMormons in 1857.Brigham Young dispatched the explorers in order to locate a potential refuge in case of a U.S. military campaign against Utah. The location was selected due to the Meadow Valley oasis at the headwaters of the Muddy River. Mormon scouts began irrigation ditches and started fields, but the site was soon deserted after the feared violence never materialized.[6] Panaca was the first permanent settlement by European Americans in southern Nevada. It was founded as a Mormon colony in 1864.[7] It began as part ofWashington County, Utah, but the congressional redrawing of boundaries in 1866 shifted Panaca into Nevada. It is the only community in Nevada to be "dry" (forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages),[8] and the only community in Nevada, besides Boulder City, that prohibitsgambling.[5]
Coke ovens here once produced charcoal for the smelters in nearby Bullionville (now aghost town), but the town's economy is predominantly agricultural.
The name "Panaca" comes from theSouthern Paiute wordPan-nuk-ker, which means "metal, money, wealth". William Hamblin, a Mormon missionary to the Paiutes, established the Panacker Ledge (Panaca Claim) silver mine there in 1864.[9]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Panacacensus-designated place has an area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2), all of it land.[4] AlongNevada State Route 319 it is 19 miles (31 km) east to theUtah state line and from there another 60 miles (97 km) east toCedar City, Utah. West from Panaca it is 1.0 mile (1.6 km) toU.S. Route 93, at which point it is 11 miles (18 km) north toPioche and 14 miles (23 km) south toCaliente.
The Panaca area is served by the following highways:
U.S. Route 93 (Great Basin Highway)
Nevada State Route 319 (Main Street)
Nevada State Route 816 (Panaca Airport Road)TheLincoln County Airport is a public-use airport operated by Lincoln County. It is located to the west of Panaca'scentral business district and is accessed via State Route 816.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 963 | — | |
| 2020 | 870 | −9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
Panaca is located nearCathedral Gorge State Park.
The followingNevada historical markers have been placed in Panaca:[11]
Panaca celebrates Pioneer Day on the Saturday closest to July 24. Events include cannon firing at 6 A.M., games and races, a parade, art displays, and a community dinner. This coincides with theUtah holiday commemorating the arrival of theMormon pioneers in theSalt Lake Valley.[12][13]
Municipalities and communities ofLincoln County, Nevada,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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