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Catalog Data

Creator:
Hunt, Mary Alice Minear  Search this
Hunt, George Laird  Search this
Fishbaugh, William Arthur  Search this
Minear, A. Bruce  Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Engineering and Industry  Search this
Extent:
0.15 Cubic feet (1 box)
Container:
Box 1
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Photograph albums
Place:
Panama Canal (Panama)
Panama -- 1900-1910
Date:
1905-1908.
Summary:
Photograph album of commercially-produced photographs of Panama Canal construction.
Scope and Contents note:
This collection consists of a photograph album of one hyndred commercially produced views of Panama Canal construction. Also included are some views of life in the Canal Zone, including hospitals, villages, street scenes, jungles, cemeteries, animal life, and bullfights. The album was assembled by A. Bruce Minear, who was sent to Panama by President Theodore Roosevelt to develop the YMCA for the men working on the canal. Most photographs are captioned.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in one series. Series 1, Photograph Album, 1905-1907
Historical:
On November 18, 1903, the United States and Panama negotiated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which granted the United States permission to construct a canal that would join the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Construction for the Panama Canal began on May 4, 1904. The large workforce (at its highest population in 1913 it numbered 44,733 men, not including those sick, on leave, or otherwise absent) had a great impact on Panama. As there were not enough amenities to accommodate them when they arrived, they built entire communities, paved streets, improved communication systems, and installed water and sewage systems. Likewise, the railroad was improved for more efficient transportation of supplies, labor, food, and equipment. Much to the credit of Chief Sanitary Officer Dr. William Crawford Gorgas, yellow fever was completely eradicated on the Isthmus and malaria cases greatly reduced. Native villages and towns along the planned construction route were required to relocate. The first self-propelled, ocean-bound vessel traveled on the canal on January 7, 1914, and the canal was formally opened in August of that year. The Panama Canal construction project was the most expensive construction project in United States history to that date, costing $375,000,000.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center W. P. Stine Panama Canal Papers (NMAH.AC.1039) John Frances Little Panama Canal Scrapbook Photograph Albums (NMAH.AC.0708) Katherine Kingsford Panama Canal Photograph Album (NMAH.AC.1040) A.R. Van Tassell Photograph Albums (NMAH.AC.1015)
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History's Division of the History of Science and Technology, Engineering and Industry Collections by Mary Alice Minear Hunt and George Laird Hunt, 1987.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Villages -- Panama  Search this
Streets -- Panama  Search this
Hospitals -- Panama  Search this
Jungles -- Panama  Search this
Animals -- Panama  Search this
Bullfights  Search this
Canals -- Panama  Search this
Cemeteries -- Panama  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- 1900-1910
Photograph albums -- 20th century
Citation:
W.A. Fishbaugh Panama Canal Photograph Album, 1905-1908, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1021
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep89f31081a-f85f-4f90-a28f-4c4db92b7093
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1021