When engineer Reginald Heber Thomson first stepped onto Seattle's shores in 1881, the landscape appeared ripe for development.

R.H. Thomson

With a determination other engineers in the city wouldn't dare assume, Thomson rolled up his sleeves and set to work on building Seattle's infrastructure. Twenty years later, the city had railroad lines, a reliable water supply, a network of sewers and Seattle City Light. Perhaps most remarkably, he headed up the Denny and Jackson regrades, literally reshaping the land to fit his idea of a prosperous city.

Without Thomson, Harbor Island would not exist -- as it rose from the dirt dumped into the bay from the Denny regrade project; the Duwamish would not have been dredged --at least not until years later; the tidelands would not have been filled; and the Lake Washington Ship Canal may not exist as it does today. However, his legacy goes beyond his engineering feats.

Thomson was renown for his honesty, and ability to negotiate deals with the political and economic forces driving Seattle.

Lacking a formal education as an engineer, Thomson made up for it in sheer innovation, tempered with common sense. He earned respect from his colleagues after successfully assessing the most feasible route for rail lines through the mountains -- an accomplishment that astounded both the best-qualified engineers, and hardened mountain men.

Despite his adventures throughout Washington state, Thomson's heart belonged to Seattle. He held the office of City Engineer three times and under six mayors. He was considered the city's official and unofficial expert in public works engineering for nearly half a century.