Christian county was founded in 1839 as Dane county and took its current name a year later through the influence of emigrants from a Kentucky county of the same name.
Historical buildings and places include Bee Castle in Taylorville (the county seat), the Louis Jehle House in Pana and Kitchell Park, also in Pana.
The park, created in 1886 and known as the Pana Fairgrounds, featured a half-mile horse-racing track and in 1906 Frank James, brother of outlaw Jesse James, acted as the starter.
The county population on July 1, 1999, was 35,797, an increase of 1,379 over the 1990 census.
For information on county government, contact the National Association of Counties Web site.
Additional information is available at these pages: