Which event officially opened the Panama Canal in 1914?

The Panama Canal officially opened in 1914 when the cargo ship SS Ancon made its first official transit.

The Ancon passed through the canal on 15 August 1914, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama. The canal's locks raise ships to Gatun Lake and then lower them back to sea level. This route greatly shortened journeys that had previously required ships to sail around Cape Horn or cross a continent by rail.

The United States built the canal after France's earlier effort failed, and the United States controlled the canal zone for decades. Panama assumed full control on 31 December 1999 under the Torrijos–Carter Treaties. The canal was expanded with a new set of locks in 2016.

The SS Ancon was a cargo and passenger ship operated by the Panama Railroad Steamship Line. Its transit is distinct from earlier test passages and construction-era movements through parts of the canal.