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COMMITTEES

HISTORY & HERITAGE

The ASCE Orange County Branch's History and Heritage Committee since 1982 have been actively seeking and reviewing important Civil Engineering projects that have been constructed in Orange County, California, and that are considered worthy of being nominated as Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.  Of these projects, twelve have been nominated and have subsequently been awarded Historic Civil Engineering Landmark status.  All of these projects have been honored with the placement of a bronze plaque signifying their status as a Local, State, or National ASCE Historic Civil Engineering Landmark; a few of these projects have received multiple recognition plaques due to the size of the project or due to the project having multiple historic points of interest. 

HISTORICAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LANDMARKS IN ORANGE COUNTY

ASCE’s Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program recognizes historically significant local, national, and international civil engineering projects, structures, and sites. Through dedications, a physical plaque on site, and an online historical record open to all, the landmark program:

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  • Increases public appreciation of civil engineering contributions to the progress and development of society;

  • Provides civil engineers with an historical awareness of their own profession for both practical insights and pride;

  • Encourages, where appropriate and feasible, the preservation of significant historic civil engineering works. Preservation can include documentation of the landmark, maintaining the landmark, etc. and 

  • Fosters the inclusion of civil engineering landmark information in encyclopedias, guidebooks and maps.

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Note:  The ASCE Historic Civil Engineering Landmark program is strictly a voluntary recognition and is not affiliated with any governmental or regulatory authority. Designation as a Landmark does not create any legal obligations on the Landmark’s owners or operators, government agencies, ASCE, or any other person or entity. Designation does not impose any restrictions or limitations on the owner’s ability to alter, rehabilitate, or replace the Landmark.

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View a map of ASCE Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks here.

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(L) = Local Historic CE Landmark, (R) = Region 9 Historic CE Landmark, (N) = National Historic CE Landmark

#53

Santa Ana Valley Irrigation System (L)

Orange, CA to Anaheim, CA

33.8694, -117.7136

#55

Mission Buildings of San Juan Capistrano (L)

San Juan Capistrano, CA

33.510, -117.667

#59 & #60

Orange County Sanitation District (L)

Fountain Valley, CA & Huntington Beach, CA

33.6936, -117.9392

#62

Newport Harbor (R)

Newport Beach, CA

33.5956, -117.9036

#64

Orange County Water District (R)

Fountain Valley, CA

33.6936, -117.9444

#66

John Wayne Airport (L)

Santa Ana, CA

33.680, -117.861

#54

City of Anaheim Water System (L)

Anaheim, CA

33.8344, -117.9139

#56

Tustin MCAS Blimp Hangars (N)

Tustin, CA

33.7131, -117.8228

#61

Santa Ana Army Airbase (L)

Santa Ana, CA

34.8987, -117.0641

#63

Orange County Flood Control District (R)

Santa Ana, CA

33.7481, -117.8775

#65

Anaheim Union Water Company (L)

Placentia, CA

33.9033, -117.8658

#67

Irvine Ranch Irrigation System (L)

Orange, CA

33.7838, -117.7624

BIOGRAPHIES OF ASCE ORANGE COUNTY BRANCH PAST PRESIDENTS AND OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS

The History and Heritage Committee has, over the years, made an effort to prepare biographies of its Past Presidents and other prominent members, and when possible, Oral History interviews have been recorded and transcribed into permanent reference documents.  The following is the beginning of an effort to place these biographies on this web page for general reading and reference:

A Biography of H. G. Osborne, P.E. was prepared by Carl R. Nelson, P.E. in early 2011. The nine-page document follows here.

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The transcript of an Oral History of George Osborne, recorded by Ms. Lisa Vandorpe on October 18 and November 15, 1996, will be uploaded to this site in the near future. It is 63 pages in length.

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An article was written for the September 2012 O.C. Branch Newsletter also highlighted George Osborne's biography and that article can be read here.

The biographies of ASCE Orange County Branch members who have been inducted as Life Members were collected and are shown on our Life Member Forum page. Please check it out here.

ASCE NATIONAL HISTORY &
HERITAGE NEWSLETTERS

From time to time, editions of the ASCE National History and Heritage Newsletter will be posted on this web page.  These newsletters contain brief, but interesting articles on National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks and other Civil Engineering topics of National interest.  The following are links to some of these newsletters:

History of the OC Flood Control District

January 2000

History of the Irvine Ranch

January 2009

H&H Newsletter, Volume VI, #6

November 2012

OPEN POSITION

History & Heritage Committee Chair

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