We wanted to celebrate and recognize the role of women in construction this month. Often thought of as man’s profession, we’d like to introduce you to a few women who have had a big impact on the construction scene. (Including our own wonderful gals in the ABE office!)
Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham (1632-1705), made a name for herself by drawing up her own designs for grand homes for her extended family. She was also involved in the designs of hundreds of buildings and several churches in the London area, Unfortunately, she was not allowed to take credit for them and they were attributed to another gentlemen at the time.
After her husband fell ill in 1872, Emily Roebling took over her husband’s position of chief engineer and oversaw the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge. She made it a point to learn about the materials, stress analysis and cable performance. She is hailed as leading the way for women in all different areas of construction.
Known for her Arts and Crafts style, Julia Morgan was the first woman to attend the prestigious Ecole de Beaux-Art program in Paris. She returned to California and perfected her design style. She is most noted for designing and supervising the construction of the Hearst Castle, which she worked on from 1919 to 1947.
A pioneer in the field of engineering, Lillian Gilbreth is credited with many household appliance and kitchen designs, many of which are still used today. She is the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in engineering. She and her husband developed machinery to better suit workers' movements to improve efficiency and reduce fatigue. Two of their children wrote “Cheaper By the Dozen” which details the family’s lifestyle and their parents studies of “time & motion” and how they applied this function in their home.
Of course we need to recognize the wonderful ladies in our office: Shannon-our office manager, Danielle-one of our inside sales consultants and Kristal-one of our sales representatives. We are thankful for the many ways they contribute to our office and to our ABE family.