Greer, Dewitt Carlock

Although born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dewitt Carlock Greer, 1902-1986, grew up in Pittsburg, Texas. He received a degree in civil engineering from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) in 1923. He worked in a variety of positions, as a landscape engineer, constructing parks, and city engineer, before joining the Texas Highway Department (now the Texas Department Transportation) as an engineer in 1928.

At the Highway Department, Greer assisted in laying out a highway system for Henderson County, then moved up to district engineer. In 1936, the Greer family moved to Austin, where he became the head of the Highway Department’s division of construction and design. Greer was appointed state highway engineer in 1940.

The outbreak of World War II interrupted Greer’s plans for a massive expansion of the Texas highway system. Following the war, those plans were implemented, the largest of its kind in the world. The Texas Highway Department constructed 50,000 miles of paved highway and more than 40,000 miles of paved farm roads. He served as both member and chairman of the Texas Highways and Public Transportation Commission for fifteen years.

Known for running his department without scandal or wasting taxpayer money, Greer received many engineering and administration honors and also had scholarships endowed under his name at Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin. Following his retirement in 1981, the state highway department named its headquarters in Austin after him.

Source:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Greer, Dewitt Carlock, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/GG/fgr83.html (accessed June 7, 2010).

From the guide to the Dewitt Carlock Greer Collection 88-119, 88-016, 88-197, 88-216., 1925-1984, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

Although born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dewitt Carlock Greer, 1902-1986, grew up in Pittsburg, Texas.

He received a degree in civil engineering from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) in 1923. He worked in a variety of positions, as a landscape engineer, constructing parks, and city engineer, before joining the Texas Highway Department (now the Texas Department Transportation) as an engineer in 1928.

At the Highway Department, Greer assisted in laying out a highway system for Henderson County, then moved up to district engineer.

In 1936, the Greer family moved to Austin, where he became the head of the Highway Department⁰́₉s division of construction and design. Greer was appointed state highway engineer in 1940.

The outbreak of World War II interrupted Greer's plans for a massive expansion of the Texas highway system.

Following the war, those plans were implemented, the largest of its kind in the world. The Texas Highway Department constructed 50,000 miles of paved highway and more than 40,000 miles of paved farm roads. He served as both member and chairman of the Texas Highways and Public Transportation Commission for fifteen years.

Known for running his department without scandal or wasting taxpayer money, Greer received many engineering and administration honors and also had scholarships endowed under his name at Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin.

Following his retirement in 1981, the state highway department named its headquarters in Austin after him.

From the description of Dewitt Carlock Greer Collection, 1925-1984 (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 759407250