Original Type I photo depicting the first official transit of the Panama Canal. Shot on August 15, 1914, the SS Ancon is shown sailing the nearly 50-mile route from Atlantic to Pacific oceans via the newly completed waterway. Key to expanding global trade routes in the 20th Century, the Panama Canal was an engineering marvel that cost the United States hundreds of millions of dollars to construct. Despite the hefty price tag, the canal significantly reduced time and cost for shipping goods worldwide, providing a far safer alternative for cargo ships otherwise forced to navigate around Cape Horn, one of the most dangerous shipping lanes in the world. Historic black and white photo with a crease at lower-right corner, and blank verso, measures approx. 7.25" x 9.25". A caption at the bottom edge reads: "Opening of the Panama Canal. S.S. Ancon on Gatun Lake. Looking South From Caimito: Aug 15, 1914." Authenticated and encapsulated as a Type I photo by PSA/DNA.