George Washington Goethals
| George Washington Goethals | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 1st Governor of Panama Canal Zone | |
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In office 1914–1917 |
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| Succeeded by | Chester Harding |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 29, 1858 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 21, 1928 (aged 69) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Resting place | West Point Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Effie Rodman (m. 1884; his death 1928) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | United States Military Academy |
| Signature |  |
George Washington Goethals (/ˈɡoʊθəlz/ GOH-thəlz; June 29, 1858 – January 21, 1928) was a United States Army officer and civil engineer, best known for his administration and supervision of the construction and the opening of the Panama Canal.
Goethals was born in Brooklyn, New York to Flemish immigrants from Stekene, Belgium Johannes Baptista (John Louis) Goethals, a carpenter, and wife Marie Le Barron. Aged 14, he entered the College of the City of New York. In April 1876, after three years of college, he won an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated second in his class in 1880, and was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers
Goethals remained at the military academy during the summer and fall of 1880 as an assistant instructor in practical astronomy. In 1881, he attended the Engineer School of Application at Willets Point, New York. His first field assignment came in 1882 with his appointment as engineer officer of the Department of Columbia in Vancouver, Washington. His routine duties included reconnaissance, surveys, and astronomical work, while his most consequential project was the replacement of a 120-foot bridge across the Spokane River.
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