For twelve years, Abraham Lincoln served as a lawyer at the original Christian County Courthouse twice a year. This courthouse is part of the Christian County Historical Society Museum, which also features a log cabin from the 1820s. Here, evidence of legal life and early everyday life come together in one place.
Courthouse, Mining, and Cinema
The Christian County Coal Mine Museum focuses on the history of coal mining. The exhibition covers a century of coal mining through the closure of Peabody Mine No. 10 in 1995. Mining artifacts and maps of coal deposits and mine locations show the material and geographical aspects of this history. A recreated coal mine tunnel with miner figures adds a view of work underground.
The Roseland Theatre offers a different historical note: the single-screen Art Moderne movie theater opened in 1941 and continues to show first-run movies on its large screen. Check the current schedule before your visit.
Pana: Walking Tours and Railroad History
Pana has two architectural walking tours with printable maps. The Old Railroad Switch Tower tells another chapter of the city’s history: it is the surviving structure at the site where four railroad lines met. The two tours and the tower offer different perspectives on architectural and transportation history.
The Pana History Museum is open to the public by appointment; admission is free. The Pana Tri-County Fair was first held in 1885. If you would like to include the fair in your travel plans, check the dates for the year of your trip.
Prairie, Parks, and Trails
Anderson Prairie is a 25-acre nature preserve with remnants of Illinois’ original tallgrass prairie. At its butterfly house, visitors can observe about 25 butterfly species throughout their entire life cycle. The Anderson Prairie Land and Water Reserve also contains high-quality prairie remnants, ranging from wet-mesic to dry-mesic. This range brings to life the varying moisture conditions of the remaining prairie areas.
Kitchell Park is home to a round Chautauqua pavilion dating from 1911; the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A walking path and a disc golf course complement the historic structure. Manners Park offers a different combination: it includes a seven-acre pond, a swimming pool, a disc golf course, and a historic auditorium. If you’d like to combine a park visit with architectural history, Kitchell offers the pavilion; Manners also features a pond and swimming pool.
The 15-mile Lincoln Prairie Trail runs through Christian County between Pana and Taylorville, following a former railroad line. An IDOT update published on July 25, 2025, describes it as a continuous route for pedestrians, cyclists, and people using wheeled mobility devices. This specifies both its route and length, as well as the user groups named in the update.
At Pana Lake, there is a public boat launch at the lower lake. Channel catfish and muskellunge from IDNR hatcheries are stocked there annually. These details add two distinct connections to the water to the historical discoveries: a boat launch at the lake and the annually reported fish stocking.
Discover more destinations: Taylorville, Ford County, Monroe County, Vermilion, Hancock County, Kane, Bond County, Boone County
For the broader travel overview: Illinois.
