This image may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.). Copyright restrictions applying to the reproduction and use of this image are available from the Sacramento Public Library.
Description
Workers at the Panama Pottery factory at 4421 24th St. are shown in this Jan. 2, 1944, photograph. Founded in 1909 by Swedish immigrants Anders Anderson, Victor Axelson and Jacob Johnson, Panama had a wide production scope, making everything from pickling crocks to urns. By the 1920s, the business was employing between 15 and 20 people, using local clay and having its items sold at Sacramento’s Weinstock, Lubin and Company, even having some of its creations exported as far away as Asia. Just a year after this photograph was taken, the factory was destroyed by fire, claiming $35,000 in damage. The business’s name is thought to have come from an effort by founders to ride the popularity of the Panama Canal’s 1914 completion and opening into quick brand recognition.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.