Theodore Roosevelt is often credited with popularizing the Panama hat during a visit to the Panama Canal site. While overseeing the construction of the canal as President of the United States, Roosevelt visited Panama in 1906 and was frequently photographed wearing a traditional Ecuadorian straw hat, commonly known as a Panama hat. The hat became associated with him, and its popularity surged as a result. However, it is worth noting that the Panama hat itself originated in Ecuador, not Panama, where it was traditionally made and exported.