Wilson, Alda H., 1872-1960.

Civil engineer. Alda Wilson was born 20 September 1872 in Harper, Iowa. She graduated from Iowa State College (now University) with a B.S. (1894) in Civil Engineering. Her sister, Elmina, was the first woman graduate in Civil Engineering at Iowa State (1892).

Alda pursued graduate study (1897-1898) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She then worked for architectural firms in New York and Chicago and was Superintendent of the Women's Drafting Department at the Iowa Highway Commission. From 1928 until 1947, Alda was the companion of Carrie Chapman Catt (Iowa State College (1880)), noted woman suffragist.