Post by stevew on Oct 22, 2018 15:16:10 GMT
After talks for a treaty between the USA and Colombia allowing the US to construct a canal in the Isthmus broke down, the long-running Panamanian independence movement staged a revolution. The US sent warships to the Atlantic and Pacific side to provide implicit support for a Panamanian revolution. It being difficult for Columbia to move troops north and quell the insurrection, Panama quickly won its independence in 1903. Within weeks, a treaty was signed with the US, ceding a 10 mile strip of land for construction of a canal, in return for an initial and yearly payments, as well as a guarantee of freedom for Panama. By 1904, construction of the US built canal began. Post offices within the Canal Zone began that same year. Construction ran from 1904 to 1914. It was one of the worlds engineering marvels. Three of the heroes of construction were John Stevens, a railroad man, who abandoned the difficult to implement sea level design, and pushed for the lock design. He also implemented a technique of temporary rail lines to facilitate removal and transport of rock and earth. He also initiated the rapid building of infrastructure and housing for workers. Another man was William Gorgas, appointed chief sanitation officer. He believed that mosquitos were spreading disease. His war against mosquitos quickly reduced the incidence of diseases that bedeviled the failed French attempt at canal construction. The third was George Goethals, an able engineer and administrator who took over from Stevens in 1907, and oversaw construction through to completion.
In 1904, the first year of the Canal Zone postal service, there were three series of Canal Zone stamps issues. I don't have any of the first series, issued June 25 1904, but I have some from the other two.
These are from the second series, issued July 18, 1904. They are Scott #4 & #5.
The third series was issued between Dec 12 1904 and Sep 1906.
This first set is Scott #9 & #10, issued December 12 1904.
This second set is Scott #11-13. #11 was issued Dec 9 1905, and #12 & #13 issued Dec 12 1904.
My great-grandfather was a railroad worker from Ohio. He went to work on the canal construction in 1908 or 1909. By 1909 his family was in the canal zone as well. He worked as a railway mechanic in the extensive shops at Gorgona. The shops and much of the town lasted only a few years, as they were submerged by the filling of Lake Gatun (a crucial part of the Canal's design).
My great-grandfather was one of around 7400 recipients of the Roosevelt medal awarded for at least two year's continuous work on the Canal construction by US citizens. In all, there were about 56,000 workers on the construction at one time or another, about 10% of them perished while working there, so it was dangerous work. Besides Americans, there were also a lot of workers that came from the West Indies islands, such as Jamaica. After construction, my great-grandfather returned to the US with his family, but after a few years, they returned to the Canal Zone where he became an employee in the operation of the canal. It was a big family, and my grandmother and her numerous siblings all grew up there. Many of this second generation also worked for the Canal. My grandmother and grandfather lived most of their adult life there, and my dad grew up there. So I have many relatives with connections to the Zone.
In 1977, President Carter signed a treaty returning the Canal Zone to Panama, although at that point it still required ratification. I can remember that most of my relatives were very unhappy with this decision, viewing it as a betrayal of the time, blood, and treasure that they and the US had invested in the Canal.
This cover has a cachet photo of the signing of the initial agreement on Sep 7 1977. It's postmarked June 16, 1978, the day the official ratified treaty was signed by Carter and Torrijos. The cover is a U22 pre-stamped enveloped with additional stamp #138.
The following is the last stamp design issued by the Canal Zone, Scott #165. The design shows a locomotive and ship moving through the locks. This design is meaningful to me because my grandfather worked his way up from mechanic to lockmaster, the position he held when he retired. Shown is the individual stamp, and a sheet.
Canal Zone postal service ended on Sep 30 1979. There are numerous Last Day of Operation covers that were made on that day. These are what I have, all without cachet. These are all entires, but I'll just show the stamp and cancel of some to save display space.
UPSS S34a / Scott UX21 Postal Card with Balboa cancel
UPSS S34b / Scott UX21 Postal Card with Cristobal cancel
U23 Size 6 pre-stamped envelope with Cristobal cancel
Scott #165 stamp on cover Balboa cancel
Scott #165 stamp on cover Cristobal cancel
The bad feelings over the Canal turnover among "Zonians" seem to have diminished over the years. Many in my extended family have dual US/Panamanian citizenship, some have made Panama their permanent home, some split their time between the states and Panama, some live in the states, but all have a deep love of Panama (not just the Canal Zone), as so much of our family history is there, plus, it's a wonderful country.
In 1904, the first year of the Canal Zone postal service, there were three series of Canal Zone stamps issues. I don't have any of the first series, issued June 25 1904, but I have some from the other two.
These are from the second series, issued July 18, 1904. They are Scott #4 & #5.
The third series was issued between Dec 12 1904 and Sep 1906.
This first set is Scott #9 & #10, issued December 12 1904.
This second set is Scott #11-13. #11 was issued Dec 9 1905, and #12 & #13 issued Dec 12 1904.
My great-grandfather was a railroad worker from Ohio. He went to work on the canal construction in 1908 or 1909. By 1909 his family was in the canal zone as well. He worked as a railway mechanic in the extensive shops at Gorgona. The shops and much of the town lasted only a few years, as they were submerged by the filling of Lake Gatun (a crucial part of the Canal's design).
My great-grandfather was one of around 7400 recipients of the Roosevelt medal awarded for at least two year's continuous work on the Canal construction by US citizens. In all, there were about 56,000 workers on the construction at one time or another, about 10% of them perished while working there, so it was dangerous work. Besides Americans, there were also a lot of workers that came from the West Indies islands, such as Jamaica. After construction, my great-grandfather returned to the US with his family, but after a few years, they returned to the Canal Zone where he became an employee in the operation of the canal. It was a big family, and my grandmother and her numerous siblings all grew up there. Many of this second generation also worked for the Canal. My grandmother and grandfather lived most of their adult life there, and my dad grew up there. So I have many relatives with connections to the Zone.
In 1977, President Carter signed a treaty returning the Canal Zone to Panama, although at that point it still required ratification. I can remember that most of my relatives were very unhappy with this decision, viewing it as a betrayal of the time, blood, and treasure that they and the US had invested in the Canal.
This cover has a cachet photo of the signing of the initial agreement on Sep 7 1977. It's postmarked June 16, 1978, the day the official ratified treaty was signed by Carter and Torrijos. The cover is a U22 pre-stamped enveloped with additional stamp #138.
The following is the last stamp design issued by the Canal Zone, Scott #165. The design shows a locomotive and ship moving through the locks. This design is meaningful to me because my grandfather worked his way up from mechanic to lockmaster, the position he held when he retired. Shown is the individual stamp, and a sheet.
Canal Zone postal service ended on Sep 30 1979. There are numerous Last Day of Operation covers that were made on that day. These are what I have, all without cachet. These are all entires, but I'll just show the stamp and cancel of some to save display space.
UPSS S34a / Scott UX21 Postal Card with Balboa cancel
UPSS S34b / Scott UX21 Postal Card with Cristobal cancel
U23 Size 6 pre-stamped envelope with Cristobal cancel
Scott #165 stamp on cover Balboa cancel
Scott #165 stamp on cover Cristobal cancel
The bad feelings over the Canal turnover among "Zonians" seem to have diminished over the years. Many in my extended family have dual US/Panamanian citizenship, some have made Panama their permanent home, some split their time between the states and Panama, some live in the states, but all have a deep love of Panama (not just the Canal Zone), as so much of our family history is there, plus, it's a wonderful country.