Panic, Pennsylvania Explained

Panic is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States.

History

A post office was established at Panic in 1881, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1904.^[1] The community most likely was named after the Panic of 1873.^[2] A folk etymology maintains the name originated when a pioneer fought off a bear with an axe.^[3] Panic has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.^{[4] [5] [6]}

The first church in McCalmont Township was built at Panic in 1871.^[7] The township's first store was also established in Panic in 1882. By 1917, Panic was described as a "tiny village".^[8]

References

41.0361°N -78.9472°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hall County . Jim Forte Postal History . 15 August 2014.
2. Book: Moyer. Armond. Moyer. Winifred. The origins of unusual place-names. 1958. Keystone Pub. Associates. 98.
3. Book: Moore, Dinty W.. Between Panic and Desire. 1 January 2008. U of Nebraska Press. 978-0-8032-1768-3. 16.
4. Book: Birnbach. Lisa. Marx. Patricia. Hodgman. Ann. 1,003 Great Things About America. registration. 14 May 2002. Andrews McMeel Publishing. 978-0-7407-2949-2. 163.
5. Book: Ash, Russell. Boring, Botty and Spong. 10 November 2011. RHCP. 978-1-4090-9739-6. 61.
6. Book: Petras. Kathryn. Petras. Ross. Unusually Stupid Americans: A Compendium of All-American Stupidity. 18 December 2007. Random House Publishing Group. 978-0-307-41761-9. 246.
7. Book: Scott, Kate M.. History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, with Illus. and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. 1888. D. Mason. 665.
8. Book: McKnight, William James. Historical. 1917. J.H. Beers. 512.