Plaque Text:
Near this site on July 12, 1913, at the former Beach Hotel, later known as The Breakers, seven distinguished Texas civil engineers gathered to consider a new professional association. The engineers created what became the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). As a result of their dedicated efforts over that summer authority was obtained from ASCE, a constitution was drafted, the organization of the Texas Section was completed, and officers were elected that fall in Dallas during the Texas State Fair.
Since 1913, the Texas Section of ASCE has provided a forum for Texas civil engineers to discuss technical issues, promote high professional standards, and form lasting friendships. Members of the Texas Section contributed significantly to the creation of the Texas State Highway Department (forerunner to the Texas Department of Transportation), the Board of Water Engineers (forerunner to the Texas Water Development Board), the Stream Gage Networks and flood control, and the adoption of the engineering licensure bill.
The people of Texas benefit daily from the diligent efforts of civil engineers. Statewide examples of this far-reaching work include: the Corpus Christi and Galveston Seawalls, deep water ports and ship channels in Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, and Houston; and the dams and reservoirs of the Highland Lakes. The public drinking water and sanitary sewer systems in communities across the state; the network of neighborhood streets, Farm to Market Roads, and Interstate Highways; and bridges, railways, airports, tunnels, and buildings ranging from skyscrapers to stadiums are further examples of the vital contribution of civil engineering to our State and society. With knowledge, skill, and ingenuity, civil engineers devise solutions that improve Texans' quality of live.
The seven founding fathers of the Texas Section of ASCE are: Robert J. Potts of College Station, Terrell Bartlett of San Antonio, Julian C. Field of Denison, James C. Nagle of Austin, John B. Hawley of Fort Worth, J.F. Witt of Dallas, and J. Milton Howe of Houston.
Throughout its history, the Texas Section of ASCE has carried out the stated purpose: "the advancement of the science and profession of engineering to enhance the welfare of mankind."
Dedicated March 1983.
Texas American Society of Civil Engineers
The organization now known as the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) was started in July of 1913 by a group of seven engineers after a Texas Good Roads meeting in Corpus Christi. They reconvened at the North Beach (Breakers) Hotel with a plentiful supply of beer to discuss how to set up such an organization.
The Texas organizers were mostly consulting engineers but included a couple of college professors. Following the meeting in Corpus Christi, invitations were sent out announcing a Texas meeting to be held during the State Fair of Texas in late October.
A meeting to formalize the organization was held in the Old Red Court House in Dallas on October 31, 1913. J. C. Nagle was elected the first president and J. F. Witt was elected secretary.
The Texas Section of ASCE celebrated its centennial in 2013 with a year-long, state-wide effort that included the gathering of local proclamations, the roll-out of the 3rd update of the Texas Infrastructure Report Card, monthly webinars, a set of banners for each of the branches to use in public displays, a revised historical marker in the North Beach area of Corpus Christi marking the place where the Section was first envisioned, oral histories from the living past presidents and other leaders, and a compilation of projects and people in a comprehensive history book on the Section's first one hundred years. ASCE members returned to the dual birth places - Corpus Christi in the spring and Dallas in the fall - to commemorate the founders and the efforts of all ASCE Texas Section members over the many years.