This snapshot captures a well-known sight along the arcaded storefronts of Front Street in Colon, Republic of Panama: a large taxidermied alligator suspended above a shop entrance as an eye-catching sign for the Martinez & Co. business. Such novelty displays were common in Colon's shopping district, which catered heavily to sailors, canal employees, and tourists passing through the Panama Canal Zone in the early-to-mid twentieth century. The photograph is part of a personal collection documenting life around the Canal Zone. Project: 218476