Panic is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States.[1]

History

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A post office was established at Panic in 1881, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1904.[2] The community most likely was named after the Panic of 1873.[3] A folk etymology maintains the name originated when a pioneer fought off a bear with an axe.[4] Panic has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.[5][6][7]

The first church in McCalmont Township was built at Panic in 1871.[8] The township's first store was also established in Panic in 1882.[8] By 1917, Panic was described as a "tiny village".[9]

References

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

41°02′10″N 78°56′50″W / 41.03611°N 78.94722°W / 41.03611; -78.94722