Famous Civil Engineers from the United States

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Updated October 14, 201888 items

List of notable or famous civil engineers from the United States, with bios and photos, including the top civil engineers born in the United States and even some popular civil engineers who immigrated to the United States. If you're trying to find out the names of famous American civil engineers then this list is the perfect resource for you. These civil engineers are among the most prominent in their field, and information about each well-known civil engineer from the United States is included when available.

The list you're viewing has a variety of people, like Herbert Hoover and Harold Camping, in it.

This historic civil engineers from the United States list can help answer the questions "Who are some American civil engineers of note?" and "Who are the most famous civil engineers from the United States?" These prominent civil engineers of the United States may or may not be currently alive, but what they all have in common is that they're all respected American civil engineers.

Use this list of renowned American civil engineers to discover some new civil engineers that you aren't familiar with. Don't forget to share this list by clicking one of the social media icons at the top or bottom of the page. {#nodes}
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  • Alan Voorhees

    Alan Voorhees

    Dec. at 83 (1922-2005)
    Alan Manners Voorhees (December 17, 1922 – December 18, 2005) was an American transportation engineer and urban planner who designed many large public works in the United States. Voorhees was born in Highland Park, New Jersey.
  • Albert Fink

    Albert Fink

    Dec. at 69 (1827-1897)
    • Birthplace: Lauterbach, Germany
    Albert Fink (October 27, 1827 – April 3, 1897) was a German-born civil engineer who worked in the United States. He is best known for his railroad bridge designs, which helped revolutionize the use of iron for American railroad bridge construction. He devised the Fink truss and many truss bridges, especially the Fink-Type Truss Bridge.
  • Alfred Giles

    Alfred Giles

    Dec. at 78 (1816-1895)
    • Birthplace: London, England
    Alfred Giles was a British civil engineer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1878 and 1892. Giles was born in London, the second son of Francis Giles canal builder and railway engineer and his wife Mary Ann Wyer, daughter of Samuel Wyer of Birmingham. He was educated at Charterhouse School and became a civil engineer, constructing railways and dock works in Britain and overseas. He was consulting Engineer to Southampton Dock Co., chairman of Union Steamship Co. and a director of Commercial Union Fire and Life Assurance Co. Giles was also created a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog by King Christian IX of Denmark. He lived in Godalming in Surrey. Giles was elected Member of Parliament for Southampton, first winning his seat in a by-election in 1878, sitting as a Conservative. He lost his seat at the 1880 General Election but regained it in another by-election in 1883. He retained his seat at the 1885 and 1886 General Elections but was defeated in 1892 by the Conservative Tankerville Chamberlayne. Giles served as president of the Institution of Civil Engineers from May 1893 to May 1894.
  • Alfred P. Boller

    Alfred P. Boller

    Dec. at 72 (1840-1912)
    • Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Alfred Pancoast Boller was a civil engineer and bridge designer. He was the chief engineer on several bridge building projects during the late 1800 and early 1900s. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States, Boller graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He co-founded an engineering company, Boller & Hodge, that was based in New York City. Boller designed the third Market Street Bridge in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, several swing bridges over the Harlem River in New York City and the Connecticut River Bridge in Connecticut. He was also the chief engineer of Manhattan's elevated railroads.
  • Anthony Cannella
    • Birthplace: New Idria, California, USA
    Anthony Joseph Cannella (born March 22, 1969) is an American politician who previously served in the California State Senate. A Republican, he represented the 12th Senate District, which encompasses all of both Merced and San Benito counties, as well as parts of Fresno, Madera, Monterey, and Stanislaus counties. Prior to his election to the State Senate, he served as the Mayor of Ceres. He is the son of Sal Cannella, a former Democratic Assemblymember who also represented portions of the Central Valley.
  • Archie Alexander

    Archie Alexander

    Dec. at 69 (1888-1958)
    • Birthplace: Ottumwa, Iowa
    Archie Alphonso Alexander (May 14, 1888 – January 4, 1958) was an African-American mathematician and engineer. He was an early African-American graduate of the University of Iowa and the first to graduate from the University of Iowa's College of Engineering. He was also a governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Alexander was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, the son of Price and Mary Alexander. When the family moved to a farm outside Des Moines, Price became head custodian at the Des Moines National Bank. Attending Oak Park Grammar School, Oak Park High School and Highland Park College for one year, Archie began his engineering education at the State University of Iowa (The University of Iowa). When three colleges merged Highland Park College became part of Des Moines College. "Although he initially went to Des Moines College and attempted to join the white-only American football team there, he was declined. As a result, he played tackle from 1910 to 1912 [at Iowa] and was nicknamed 'Alexander the Great'." During the summer Alexander worked as a draftsman for Marsh Engineers, a Des Moines bridge-designing firm and in 1912, he received a bachelor of science degree, becoming the University of Iowa's first black football player and engineer.After graduation, Alexander worked as a foreman for a bridge-building company before going into business for himself in 1917. Continuing his education at the University of London, Alexander studied bridge design in and obtained a degree in civil engineering in 1925 from the State University of Iowa. In 1929, he formed Alexander & Repass, where he would work until his death. They were responsible for the construction of many roads and bridges, including the Whitehurst Freeway, the Tidal Basin Bridge, and an extension to the Baltimore–Washington Parkway. With his business partner, George Higbee, Alexander designed the Tuskegee Airfield and the Iowa State University heating and cooling system. In 1934, Alexander was appointed as one of a 12-member commission to investigate the social and economic conditions in Haiti. In 1946, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Engineering by Howard University. In 1954, Alexander was appointed Governor of the United States Virgin Islands by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was the first Republican governor there since the establishment of the civil government. His tenure at the post was short and controversial. In 1955, he was highly criticized for favoring old business partners in contracts for road building on St. Thomas. The United States House of Representatives launched a probe and he subsequently resigned on August 18, 1955, ostensibly for health reasons. He died in 1958 in Des Moines, Iowa. Alexander was also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. The Archie Alphonso Alexander Papers are held at the University of Iowa Special Collections & University Archives.