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Photo of the Week
This week's photos are a study of building 726 in Balboa, Canal Zone. My brother sent me the middle photo which led to a discussion as to what this building was originally built for. I found this photo above and it looks to me like some sort of storehouse with loading docks facing the road. The above photo is circa 1920s. I looked up the building on an old census map and it is identified as Elect. S.H. which in my mind translates to Electrical Store House. Balboa Electric Sub-Station is right next store, so it makes sense. These were some of the first infrastructure buildings built in Balboa after the Canal was complete and Balboa was under construction. As my brother said, they were probably built with left over concrete from the locks. All these early concrete buildings were like bomb shelters. Below are photos of the same building after it was given to the Supply Division and converted into a Balboa Commissary House Wears Annex. This is where you would go to purchase furniture, appliances and other items for the home. They put show windows where the two loading docks were. The middle photo was taken in 1957 and the one on the bottom from 1970s. Another lesson in the lost history of our Canal Zone heritage.
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