presented by Alfredo Frohlich

Starting at the beginning of the 19th century, and lasting for the next 100 years

packet line sailing vessels and then steamships carrying mail converged on the

Isthmus of Panama from both the Atlantic and the Pacific.  This talk explains the

evolution of Panama’s postal systems from the early Spanish Colonial Period to

the beginning of the “Sovereign State of Panama” in 1878 as a part of Colombia.

These include Panama’s own post office, and post offices of other countries

located in Panama, as well as private forwarding agents. All of these types of

postal bureaus served as transshipment mail centers for vessels arriving and

departing both coasts of the Isthmus.