Monthly Archives: October 2008

The Housing Exoduses- City Living Not Much Better

An original image of Muller Building,
one of the largest rental buildings built to
house Westindian working men and their families
in downtown Calidonia, very close to the entrance to
the Zone. There is a post office branch right in front
(Correos Nacionales)
Image thanks to czbrats.com

These deplorable living conditions within the Westindian community on the Zone, the study further explained, gave rise to a series of problems owing to the decline in morale and efficiency of the group- problems of poor health and exposure to contagious disease. Following the revelations from the findings in this study housing on the Zone became a topic of careful consideration even when the dwelling units were quite limited in number by treaty restrictions to a small portion of employees. Continue reading

The Housing Exoduses- Deplorable Conditions on the Zone

Silver Housing in Cristobal in about 1912.
Notice the appalling lack of sewage/drainage.
This is the housing unit in Red Tank known as the Titanic Building.
It was originally a wing of Ancon Hospital which
was already quite old and deteriorated when it was
moved to Red Tank to serve as housing for the Silver
employees and their families.

By the time I was born n 1936, the Silver people had undergone many periods of privation in so far as their housing needs were concerned. In supporting several posts regarding their struggles with finding decent housing I have provided for you a succinct history following an outline originally written by George W. Westerman. Continue reading

Wedding Bells

A 1930 Studebaker sedan similar to the one Cobert owned.
Image is of my sister, Aminta, and myself serving
as flower girl and ring bearer at one of several
weddings we would be called upon to adorn. My mother
would also be asked to do all the dress making for these
Silver weddings of the 40′s. I remember refusing to
smile for the photo as no one had really informed me
before hand that I would be participating in this wedding.

Rosa Lena Green and Cobert Reid, as with most young people, had very little notion of the enormous responsibility ahead of them as a married couple. They were too busy falling in love and enjoying themselves and their friends in the few areas around Calidonia and Santa Ana in Panama City that offered anything interesting for adolescents. Continue reading