Panama

History

A post office was established at Panama, Indian Territory on January 14, 1898. At the time of its founding, Panama was located in Skullyville County, part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation. This town began as a coal mining community named Red Town because all of the miners' shacks were painted red. The origin of the town name of "Panama" is uncertain. Some historians claim that the name was inspired by the building of the Panama Canal. But since the town was already called Panama by 1898, the inspiration would have to have been based on the unsuccessful French effort at building the canal which started 1881 and ended in 1889, and not the successful American effort which did not start until 1904 and was not completed until 1914. In 1896 the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (trackage acquired by the Kansas City Southern Railway in 1900) built a north–south line through the region. The Midland Valley Railroad built an east–west line through the region in 1903–1904. The town of Panama moved to the crossing of the two railroads. The Panama post office first opened January 14, 1898, but the order was rescinded for some unknown reason on February 23, 1898. The post office reopened February 21, 1899. Panama was still supported by coal mining in 1930. The Ozark Coal and Mining Company had established itself there in 1898, however the coal mines began to close in the 1930s. A creosote plant, established in 1937, provided some jobs for the former miners. The Panama Coal Company, which had engaged in strip mining, went bankrupt in 1977.

Geography

Panama is located north of Poteau on State Highway 59. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which 0.66% is water.

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  177
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  174
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  164
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  157
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  153
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  147
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  143
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  143

Largest nearby schools

• POTEAU HS
  High · Poteau · 636 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• SPIRO ES
  Elementary · Spiro · 571 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• POTEAU UPPER ES
  Elementary · Poteau · 471 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• POTEAU PRIMARY ES
  Elementary · Poteau · 433 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• PANAMA ES
  Elementary · Panama · 428 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• 7TH AND 8TH GRADE ACADEMIC CTR
  Middle · Poteau · 362 students · 19.1:1 ratio
• SPIRO HS
  High · Spiro · 290 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• PANSY KIDD MS
  Middle · Poteau · 280 students · 14.7:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2025-08-31
  12 km E of Crowder, Oklahoma
• M 2.65 — 2024-10-28
  14 km WSW of Quinton, Oklahoma
• M 2.86 — 2024-08-14
  13 km WSW of Quinton, Oklahoma
• M 2.6 — 2023-03-16
  11 km E of Crowder, Oklahoma
• M 2.8 — 2022-06-05
  13 km WSW of Quinton, Oklahoma
• M 3.16 — 2022-06-03
  10 km W of Quinton, Oklahoma