Panther Creek is a large creek (or small river) in the U.S. state of Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. It rises near Minonk

Minonk, Illinois

Minonk is a city in Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,168 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Minonk is located at ....

, and after flowing southwestward approximately 26 miles (41.8 km), discharges into the Mackinaw River

Mackinaw River

The Mackinaw River, also called Mackinac River, is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. It flows through what was once the Grande Prairie region of central Illinois...

 near Eureka

Eureka, Illinois

Eureka is a city in Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,295 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County. The city was founded in the year 1855. Eureka is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area....

. The largest town in the Panther Creek drainage is El Paso, Illinois

El Paso, Illinois

El Paso is a city in Woodford and McLean Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,695 at the 2000 census, and 2,870 in 2009...

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Panther Creek drains much of eastern Woodford County.
The creek flows through a region of intense corn

Maize

Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...

 and soybean

Soybean

The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...

 cultivation, formerly part of the Illinois Grande Prairie. Together with the rest of the Mackinaw River's drainage, the creek ultimately feeds the lower Illinois River

Illinois River

The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...

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This Panther Creek should not be confused with a much smaller Panther Creek in Cass County, which flows through the Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

The Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area is a conservation area located within Cass County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is in size. A mix of plowed upland prairie and Panther Creek woodlands, the site is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It is...

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