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BY AMANDA CUTSHALL
Hundreds attended the historical marker dedication ceremony for Leah Moncure in mid-January.
COURTESY BETH PICKENS
Leah Moncure was the rst woman in Texas to earn a professional engineering license in 1938.
COURTESY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Ceremony held for Texas’ 1st female engineer Over 100 people from across the country gath- ered Jan. 31 to honor Texas’s rst female engineer with a historical marker at her Bastrop home. Some background
Leah Moncure’s niece, Martha Leah Kunkle Oppenheim, attended the marker ceremony and was a guest of honor.
the historical marker for Moncure after learning about her while working at TxDOT. In mid-January, locals, Moncure’s family, TxDOT representatives, and engineers gathered to honor Moncure at the dedication ceremony. The histor- ical marker can be found in front of the house at 1601 Main St. What they’re saying “This was an incredibly moving event,” said Rachel Hatch, Bastrop County Historical Society spokesperson. “The signicance of Moncure’s accomplishments and her place in Texas history was enthusiastically received by the audience.”
COURTESY BASTROP COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Leah Moncure made history in 1938 when she became the rst woman in Texas to earn a professional engineering license after graduating from Baylor University the year prior. From there, she began working for the Texas Department of Transportation. Specializing in research, right-of-way and road design, Moncure’s career spanned 32 years, according to a news release from TxDOT. Bastrop resident Sandra Chipley spearheaded
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1601 Main St., Bastrop
Expansion is in flight
JOURNEY WITH AUS
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