When the United States took on the building of the Panama Canal in 1904, workers were faced with extremely difficult living conditions. The tropical diseases such as malaria and yellow fever plagued them just as they had the earlier French effort. The housing stock left behind by the French was dilapidated and inadequate.

About a hundred sets of beautifully drafted architectural plans left by the French came in handy for locating drains, etc., as the Americans made repairs to existing buildings. Some workers found insect ridden rooms in adjacent towns while others lived in tents or...

The building of the Panama Canal by the United States from 1904 to 1914 at the time was the most significant and monumental engineering achievement the world had ever seen. Its completion, despite incredible obstacles, changed the lives of thousands of people in nations around the world and brought to realization a centuries-old dream of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The brave and adventurous workers who went to Panama during the construction period faced unimaginable hardships on a daily basis; death was a constant companion as yellow fever, malaria and other tropical...

The transfer of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama at the end of 1999 marked the end of a special and unique relationship between the United States and Panama that endured over 96 years. It is important to note the significant roles played in the 20th Century by those two countries in the development of world commerce and to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions made by the thousands of men and women who participated in this great enterprise.

The community of people who contributed to the Canal effort was wide and varied--American and Panamanian, French, West Indian,...