Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

09/11/2026

09/10/2026

The city of Bessemer (Jefferson County), which was incorporated on September 9, 1887, is named for a British engineer who invented a steel-making process. The town was founded in 1886 by industrialist Henry F. DeBardeleben, who created the town in association with his iron and coal businesses. He was instrumental in developing coal and iron interests in north-central Alabama. Debardeleben purchased buildings from the 1884 Cotton Exposition in New Orleans for use in the new town and had them shipped to Alabama via railroad. Bessemer is home to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, located on the site of a historic foundry that operated from 1829 to 1865. The Bessemer Hall of History Museum contains artifacts and displays related to the city's industrial and cultural history; it is housed in the former Alabama Great Southern Railroad Depot and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The century-old Bright Star, a five-star restaurant named an American classic by the James Beard Foundation, is located in downtown Bessemer. Image shows a row of two-story brick buildings in downtown Bessemer during the early 20th century. (Photograph courtesy of University of Alabama Libraries) Read the EOA article: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/bessemer/

08/25/2026

Today is National Park Service Founders Day. In recognition of this day, we would like to acknowledge the foundational role professional land surveyors played in the success and stewardship of the National Park Service. From the earliest days of establishing America’s national parks, surveyors were essential in defining park boundaries, creating accurate maps, and documenting the natural and cultural features that make each park unique. Their precise measurements helped ensure that park lands were legally protected and properly managed for future generations. Surveyors also establish the control networks and provide the data needed for trails, roads, facilities, and other infrastructure that allow millions of visitors to explore these treasured places today.

08/24/2026

08/14/2026

The anniversary of the Panama Canal celebrates one of the greatest engineering achievements in modern history. Opened on August 15, 1914, the Canal transformed global trade by creating a vital waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, eliminating the long and dangerous journey around the southern tip of South America.

What makes the Panama Canal truly remarkable is the way it works. Rather than being a simple sea-level passage, the Canal uses a system of locks to lift ships approximately 85 feet above sea level into Gatun Lake, carry them across the Isthmus of Panama, and then lower them back to sea level on the opposite side. The locks operate largely by gravity, allowing enormous quantities of water to flow into and out of the chambers, thereby raising or lowering vessels.

More than a century later, the Panama Canal remains a powerful symbol of human ingenuity, perseverance, and innovation. Its anniversary is not only a celebration of a historic waterway, but also a reminder of what can be accomplished when engineering, vision, and determination come together. To learn some interesting facts about the Panama Canal, visit https://www.avantiworldtravel.com/blog/8-facts-about-the-panama-canal.

08/13/2026

It was a busy day, with all Board members appearing before the Sunset Review Committee at the State House, answering questions, and then continuing their regular business meeting back in their boardroom. Additionally, Nanette Baldwin, one of our board members, has now termed out, and we will genuinely miss collaborating with her. During the meeting, she was recognized for her unwavering dedication to the State of Alabama.

08/11/2026

August is an opportunity to recognize the important profession of land surveying and its remarkable history. Surveying dates back thousands of years, with ancient Egyptians using measurement techniques to establish property boundaries after the flooding of the Nile and early civilizations using surveying to plan cities, roads, and major structures. Over time, the profession advanced through the development of instruments such as the compass, chain, transit, and theodolite, and today surveyors use sophisticated technologies including GNSS, total stations, drones, LiDAR, and 3D scanning.

Despite these technological advances, the fundamental purpose of surveying remains the same: providing accurate information about land, boundaries, elevations, and locations.

During August, BELS would like to recognize professional land surveyors for their precision, knowledge, professional judgment, and integrity, while honoring the generations of those surveyors who have helped shape the communities and infrastructure we depend on today.