To mark ASCE’s 150th Anniversary, this outstanding collection of original history and heritage papers documents the emergence and growth of Civil Engineering in America. From John Smeaton, who first sought to raise the stature of the engineer to a professional level, to Benjamin Wright, who is considered the father of American Civil Engineering, to the origins and early years of the American Society of Civil Engineers, you’ll witness the birth and early development of the Civil Engineering profession in America. This early development is poignantly illustrated through excerpts from the diary of a young civil engineer visiting the United States in 1837. His diary provides a glimpse of the new frontier where America’s rapid growth and expanding boundaries defined a unique engineering approach not found in England or continental Europe. Other papers recognize the engineers and their accomplishments that have made the Civil Engineering profession what it is today. The marvelous efforts of three prominent engineers: Latrobe, Jervis, and Meigs in the design and development of water distribution systems in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC, are documented. Transportation history is also covered with stories of the Potomac Canal, the C&O Canal, the National Road, and the B&O Railroad. Important discoveries in material science, such as hydraulic cement and reinforced concrete, are also discussed. Additionally, preservation case studies include special insights into structural renovations to the US Capitol and the geology of the monumental core in Washington, DC. These proceedings support the continuing efforts of the ASCE Engineering Education and History and Heritage committees to develop course material for teaching civil engineering history in universities. An expanded module of Civil Engineering Education History is offered, along with the history of analytical modeling, and the development of testing and monitoring tools. This proceedings for the ASCE 150th Anniversary (1852-2002) contains papers presented at the Fourth National Congress on Civil Engineering History and Heritage held in Washington, DC, November 2-6, 2002, during the ASCE Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition.
