1914 Wood harvested in Charlton County is used to build the Panama Canal

F.D. Mills of Folkston was busy in July of 1913. He produced many kinds of wood products and received an unusual order for very strong pilings. These were shipped to the Central American country of Panama and were used in the building of the great canal. Mr. F.M. DeGraffenreid, editor of the county paper stated that “This puts Charlton down as a helper in one of the greatest events of the world!”

The Panama Canal was completed in August of 1914, coming under budget by twenty-three million dollars. Even though it was called the engineering marvel of the twentieth century at that time, World War One was beginning to take the headlines of the world’s papers and the canal didn’t receive its share of publicity.

But Charlton County can certainly point with pride to our part in the building of this great Panama Canal!

[CHARLTON COUNTY HERALD, July 31, 1913; THE PANAMA CANAL, A BRIEF HISTORY by Tyler Jones, Google, Internet]