Cristóbal, Panama Passenger Lists 1926
Atlantic Entrance to the Port of Cristobal, Panama circa 1934. GGA Image ID # 1716b1ba87
Passenger Lists available from the GG Archives from the Port of Cristóbal, Panama. Organized by Date of Departure, Steamship Line, Steamship or Ocean Liner, Class of Passengers, Route, and the Ship's Captain.
1926-09-30 SS President Van Buren Passenger List
- Steamship Line: Dollar Steamship Line
- Class of Passengers: Cabin Class
- Date of Departure: 30 September 1926
- Route: New York to Marseilles via Havana, Cristobal, Balbao, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manilla, Singapore, Penang, Colombo, Port Said and Alexandria
- Commander: Captain M. Ridley
There are two ports of entry in the Canal Zone - Cristobal on the Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific Cristobal is part of the harbor of Colon but is under the jurisdiction of the United States. Both ports are equipped with piers, drydocks , and fueling facilities.
Piers Nos. 6, 7, and 8 at Cristobal, Panama. GGA Image ID # 171719a523
There are 9 docks at Cristobal, with a total berthing capacity of approximately 13,500 feet, of which 13 ,000 feet can be used by deep -draft vessels. Five of the docks are of steel and concrete construction , the remainder being built of timber.
General View of the Cristobal Terminal and Harbor Area, Panama, circa 1934. GGA Image ID # 171728e004
⚠️ About Accuracy in Historical Records Research Tip
Context. The GG Archives presents passenger lists as faithfully as possible to the original documents. While OCR is generally accurate, portions of these collections—especially image captions and some transcriptions—are typed by hand and may include typographical or spelling variations. The original manifests themselves also contained clerical inconsistencies (names recorded phonetically, mid-voyage corrections, etc.).
What this means for your research:
- Search variant spellings of names (e.g., “Schmidt/Schmitt/Smith,” “Giuseppe/Joseph”).
- Cross-reference with immigration cards, passport applications, naturalization files, city directories, and newspapers.
- Treat manifests as primary sources with historical quirks—use them alongside corroborating records.
- For place names, consider historical borders and language variants (e.g., Danzig/Gdańsk, Trieste/Trst).
How to cite. When quoting a name from a manifest, consider adding [sic] for obvious misspellings and include a note such as “spelling as printed in original passenger list.”
Need help? If you spot a likely transcription error in captions, feel free to contact us with the page URL and a brief note—we love community input. 🙏
Curator’s Note
For over 25 years, I've been dedicated to a unique mission: tracking down, curating, preserving, scanning, and transcribing historical materials. These materials, carefully researched, organized, and enriched with context, live on here at the GG Archives. Each passenger list isn't just posted — it's a testament to our commitment to helping you see the people and stories behind the names.
It hasn't always been easy. In the early years, I wasn't sure the site would survive, and I often paid the hosting bills out of my own pocket. But I never built this site for the money — I built it because I love history and believe it's worth preserving. It's a labor of love that I've dedicated myself to, and I'm committed to keeping it going.
If you've found something here that helped your research, sparked a family story, or just made you smile, I'd love to hear about it. Your experiences and stories are the real reward for me. And if you'd like to help keep this labor of love going, there's a "Contribute to the Website" link tucked away on our About page.
📜 History is worth keeping. Thanks for visiting and keeping it alive with me.
