History of the Panama Canal
During World War II, the canal proved a vital part of the U.S. military strategy, allowing ships to transfer easily between the Atlantic and Pacific. Politically, the Canal remained a territory of the United States until 1977, when the Torrijos–Carter Treaties began the process of transferring territorial control of the Panama Canal Zone to Panama, a process completed on 31 December 1999.
William B. Van Ingen
The Panama Canal murals were executed on nearly of canvas and depict the excavation of the canal. They are mounted in the Panama Canal Administration Building in Balboa, Panama. Van Ingen agreed to produce the murals at $25 per square foot. The paintings are apparently the largest group of murals by an American artist on display outside the United States .