History and Heritage Committee

Civil engineering has shaped the history of our nation and every community within it. To celebrate the profession, ASCE established the History and Heritage Committee (HHC) in 1964. HHC's mission is to enhance the knowledge and appreciation of our history and heritage.

Nearly 200 National and International Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks are featured within this web site, along with biographies of 43 notable civil engineers. Information about the landmarks and engineers was obtained from many sources, including the National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark nomination packages, and various other references. Many thanks go to the organizations that supplied photographs and other information.

Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program

1. Encourage all civil engineers to become more aware of the history and heritage of their own profession.
2. Increase appreciation by the public of civil engineering contributions to the progress and development of the United States and the world.
3. Identify and designate national historic civil engineering works that have made a significant contribution to the development of the United States and to the profession of civil engineering in particular.
4. Encourage, where appropriate and feasible, the preservation of significant historic civil engineering works.
5. Provide a documented archive of Civil Engineering Historic Landmarks for the use of engineering students, professional writers, researchers, and historians.
6. Promote the inclusion of information on Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks in encyclopedias, guidebooks, and maps used by the general public.

National Landmark Designation Procedure

For consideration as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, an ASCE Section must officially nominate a project. Include one copy of the completed nomination form for each committee member, [Nomination Form] eight-by-ten-inch black and white photographs, and (if possible) 35mm color slides in your nomination packet. The photographs and slides will be used for publicity releases and will become part of ASCE's permanent archive.

To ensure that the designation of a project by ASCE as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark has real and lasting significance, HHC carefully studies and evaluates the data submitted by the nominating Section. Not only must the specific merits of the nominated project be weighed, but it also must be compared to similar projects, including those that may or may not have been nominated and/or designated as landmarks. It is essential that detailed documentation be provided to support statements or claims made in the nomination.

National historic significance is not a quality or characteristic that lends itself to easy evaluation. As a result, HHC uses the following guidelines as it considers the merits of a specific nomination:

1. The nominated project must be of national historic civil engineering significance. Size or technical complexity of design or construction is not sufficient in itself.
2. The project must represent a significant facet of civil engineering history, but does not have to be designed or constructed by a civil engineer.
3. Projects must have some special uniqueness (e.g., a first project constructed); or have made some significant contribution (e.g. the first project designed by a particular method); or utilized a unique or significant construction or engineering technique. The project itself must have contributed to the development of the nation or at least a very large region. Thus a project that did not make a contribution, did not lead to some other development, or was a technical "dead end" may not be of national historic significance, although it was the "first" (or only one) of its kind.
4. Projects should be generally available to the public view, although safety considerations or geographic isolation may restrict access.
5. Nominated projects should be at least 50 years old from the substantial completion at the time an ASCE plaque presentation is desired.
6. Allow room to mount a 13”x19” bronze plaque, to be supplied by national ASCE headquarters, which can be viewed by the public.
7. A statement of the owner's support of the nomination should be included as part of the nomination packet. Projects should not be nominated unless the owner is supportive of nomination.

HHC takes very seriously its responsibility for recommending National Civil Engineering Landmarks to the National Board of Direction. Each nomination can take up to one year to review.

If the Board of Direction approves a Section's nomination for designation as a National Civil Engineering Landmark, the Section plans the plaque presentation event. The full cost of the plaque is borne by the national Society and is usually presented by the president or a delegate.

For a multi-jurisdictional National Civil Engineering Landmark, presentation activities should be coordinated among all Sections through which the Landmark passes. Duplicate plaques may be provided in such cases.

Sometimes the nomination, while worthy, is deemed not to be of national significance. When deemed inappropriate for recognition as a National Civil Engineering Landmark, HHC will recommend the site for consideration for local or state designation. These designations are equally important to the profession and the people in the region.

When the nominated project is truly historic but dates from a time prior to the development of the field of civil engineering, HHC may choose to recommend that the Board designate the project as a Historic Civil Work. It is particularly important that the national significance of the project and its unique features be carefully explained and be accurate. Published papers or reports on the nomination are of importance. The names and biographical records of the individuals associated with the project should be included in the presentation when possible and appropriate.

Local/State Landmark Designation Procedure

One of the responsibilities of a Section's History and Heritage Committee is to make a study of early civil engineering works in the Section's area and recommend to the Section's Board those projects which the Committee believes to be worthy of designation as a Local Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Landmarks designated by a Section must be within the geographical boundary of the Section. All Sections within a state should collaborate to designated a landmark as a State Historic Landmark.

The Sections should provide an appropriate plaque to commemorate the project. ASCE Headquarters has been authorized to contribute up to $200 toward the cost of a local landmark bronze plaque. After a Section's Board has approved the designation of a Local Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, it should complete and send the nomination to ASCE. A grant from the Committee to help cover the cost of the bronze plaque, which ASCE Headquarters can produce, will be provided to the Section after the form is processed.

The Section must plan and conduct the plaque presentation ceremony. Information on the Local Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks will be kept in the files at Headquarters.

Civil Engineering History and Heritage Award

Established in 1966, the purpose of this award is to recognize those persons who through their writing, research, or other efforts have made outstanding contributions toward a better knowledge of, or appreciation of, the history and heritage of civil engineering. For further information or to submit nominations, please contact the Senior Manager of Awards and Honors, Deborah Young (dyoung@asce.org).