First settled in 1824, the small community became a bustling stop for stagecoaches and freight wagons that carried people and goods from New England into the western territories. The village continued to grow throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as churches and fraternal organizations were established and businesses, schools and beautiful Greek Revival buildings were constructed. During the Civil War, Panama contributed brave men and women to the defense of the Union, while the village also faced devastating fires. Panama s quaint charm still draws visitors, along with Panama Rocks, a natural scenic wonder. From the days of one-room schoolhouses through the twentieth century, local authors Pamela A. Brown and Heather J. Schneider commemorate the village s 150th anniversary of incorporation (1861 2011) with this collection of accounts from Panama s past