ASCE was the first professional documented attempt to organize civil engineers in the United States. During the 1800s, as different professions in the US began to form organizations, notable civil engineers soon followed their steps. In a meeting led by Alfred W. Craven, a chief civil engineer of the Croton aqueduct, the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects was established. Only those with professions in different types of engineering fields or architecture were eligible for membership. It was only until 1868, that the current name, "American Society of Civil Engineers," was incorporated into the organization. A decade later, New York State chartered and incorporated this society. ASCE originally convened in the Chamber of Commerce in NY State, but relocated to the Engineering Societies' Building in 1917. 

The first female member of ASCE was Nora Stanton Bradley, who was among the first women in the US to graduate with a civil engineering degree. She worked for the NYC Board of Water Supply. However, due to her gender, her eligibility was limited to junior membership. She was posthumously advanced to ASCE fellow status in 2015.  

Today, ASCE is headquartered in Reston, Virginia and continues to advance the civil engineering profession through the activities of its members, not just in the US, but all over the world as well.