Panaca

Panaca is the oldest town in southern Nevada and one of its most stubborn — a Mormon farming colony settled in 1864 and farming still, despite the silver booms that flared at Bullionville and Pioche all around it. Its oddest distinction is bureaucratic: founded as part of Washington County, Utah, Panaca became Nevada by act of Congress in 1866, but the boundary went unsurveyed, and the resulting fight over Lincoln County taxes was not finally settled in the town's favor until 1971 — more than a century later.

What the plaque says

Southern Nevada’s first permanent settlement and perhaps one of its most unique, was settled as a Mormon colony by Francis C. Lee and others in 1864. Poor in resources but rich in people, Panaca has changed but slowly down through the years. Although mining at nearby Bullionville and Pioche has had its effect, Panaca remains an agricultural community. The post office was established in 1867, moved to Bullionville in 1874, and returned to “Panaker” in 1879. During the 1870’s coke ovens produced charcoal here for the smelters at Bullionville. Originally located in Washington Country, Utah, Panaca became a portion of Nevada by an act of Congress, dated May 5, 1866. As the boundary was not then surveyed, a dispute arose over taxes levied by Lincoln County, Nevada. Only after a long period of bitter litigation was the matter settled in favor of the Panaca citizenry on December 4, 1971. There are those who lived and died in this community where they were born; others became world travelers. In their unspectacular way, many helped create the great pioneer story. State Historic Marker No. 39 Nevada State Park System Lincoln County Area Development Committee NSP 5-5-69

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Cathedral Gorge State Park — 2.4 mi
  A drained ancient lakebed eroded into buff-colored spires and narrow slot "caves" — one of Nevada's first state parks, and the gentle, otherworldly counterweight to the Silver Trails' ghost towns.
• Pioche — 10 mi
  The silver camp that, by legend, out-killed the Old West — Boot Hill's boots-on graves, the graft-ridden Million-Dollar Courthouse, and an aerial tramway still slung over Main Street.

More markers nearby

• Panaca Ward Chapel — steps away
• Panaca Mercantile — steps away
• Panaca Spring — 0.4 mi
• Bullionville — 1.5 mi