Guarding the Gates. The Story of Fort Clayton - Its Setting, Its Architecture, and Its Role in the History of the Panama Canal

Abstract

Abstract : The Panama Canal Treaty and Allied Agreements of 1977 between the United States and the Republic of Panama (RoP) governed the operation, maintenance, and defense of the Panama Canal from their implementation on 1 October 1979 until 31 December 1999. At noon on that date, the Panama Canal Treaty terminated and the RoP assumed full control and responsibility for the operation, maintenance, and defense of the Panama Canal. The U.S. military presence in the former Panama Canal Zone ceased at that time and all remaining Department of Defense (DoD) property in the area reverted to the RoP. In anticipation of the scheduled transfer of this DoD property, efforts have been made to produce a lasting record of U.S. military buildings and installations in the former Panama Canal Zone. Personnel from the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), working in cooperation with various DoD services and commands in Panama, have spent 7 years producing site-specific documentation related to the developmental history of DoD installations in the RoP Of those installations, Fort Clayton was among the very last properties to be transferred to the RoP. As previous documentation efforts focused on installations being transferred more quickly, Fort Clayton's physical legacy remained largely unrecorded. With less than a year remaining before treaty termination, discussions began concerning the creation of a comprehensive history of Fort Clayton based upon its built environment. The CERL personnel and U.S. Army South (USARSO) officials agreed on the need for such a history, and this project was born.