Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Katherine Kingsford Panama Canal Photograph Album, circa 1904-1914

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1040
Creators:
Kingsford, Katherine
Dates:
circa 1904-1914
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.15 Cubic feet
1 box
Repository:
An album of photographs of Panama and the Panama Canal, circa 1904-1914.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of a disbound album of photographs relating to the Panama Canal, including a few construction scenes, vessels traveling through the Canal, urban and rural street scenes, housing, hospital scenes, historic buildings, and people. The three inch by three inch photographic prints are mounted on black album paper and most are badly faded and unidentified. Most of the photographs are informal and have the feel of snapshots taken by an amateur photographer. There are a few larger format photographs. Also included is the
Official Handbook of the Panama Council
, 1913.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged in one series.
Series 1, Photograph Album, circa 1904-1914

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / 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, the workers 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.

Administration

Author
Kiley Orchard
Processing Information
Processed by Kiley Orchard, intern, 2008; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, archivist.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated to the National Museum of American History's Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (now Division of Work and Industry) by Katherine Kingsford in1982. It was transferred to the Archives Center in 2007.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
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.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Preferred Citation
Katherine Kingsford Panama Canal Photograph Album, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Related Materials
Materials in the Archives Center
William Currie Photograph Album (AC1043)
John Frances Little Panama Canal Scrapbook (AC0708)
Roland A. McCrady Photograph Collection (AC0710)
Robert Dearborn Panama Canal Photonegatives (AC1111)
W.A. Fishbaugh Panama Canal Photograph Album (AC1021)
Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection (AC0143)
W.P. Stine Panama Canal Papers (AC1039)

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Canals -- Panama Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photograph albums -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Panama Canal (Panama) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Panama Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu