GUIDE TO THE ARTHUR N. SOLLEE PAPERS
Collection Number: M84-1
Title: Arthur N. Sollee Papers
Dates: (Inclusive) 1927-1984
Size: 17.75 linear feet
Repository: Manuscripts and Personal Papers, Thomas
G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida
ABSTRACT
As
Director of the Jacksonville Expressway Authority during the pivotal transportation
years of 1956-1972, Mr. Sollee was a major influence in the development
of the Jacksonville, Florida road system in Duval County, Florida in the
mid-twentieth century. The collection consists primarily
of correspondence, subject files and reports, and newspaper clippings
relating to transportation projects in Duval County. Includes materials
relating to the site selection of the University of North Florida;
project files relating to the planning of the Dames Point Bridge,
Jacksonville, Florida. Includes his memoirs: The Engineer Speaks.
LANGUAGE: English.
ACQUISITION
The collection was donated by the estate of Arthur N. Sollee, Sr. in 1984.
ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION
The collection is open for research. For additional information and
to make an appointment to view the collection, contact E. Brady at
904-620-1533; email: ebrady@unf.edu
PREFERRED CITATION
Arthur N. Sollee Papers, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of
North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.
ADDITIONAL GUIDES
RELATED MATERIALS
Sollee, Arthur N. The Engineer Speaks: Memoirs Covering Five Decades of Highway Problems in Duval County.
[Jacksonville, Fla.?] : A.N. Sollee, [1982?]
BIOGRAPHICAL / HISTORICAL NOTE
Arthur
Neyle Sollee, Sr. was born near Tifton, Georgia on May 23, 1900.
Four years later, his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida where he attended
South Jacksonville Elementary School. After distinguishing himself
in both academia and athletics, he graduated from Duval High School and
served in the United States Army. Upon his discharge in 1918, he
enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Florida and received
a Bacholor of Science in Civil Engineering degree in 1922, and Civil Engineer
degree in 1926.
His first
professional position was as a field surveyor with the George B. Hills
Company, where he remained from 1922 until 1928. His last assignment
for the Hills Company was as Resident Engineer on the initial construction
of Port Everglades for the Broward County Port Authority. Upon recognizing
the potential challenges of this project, he accepted the position of Port
Engineer in 1928, and saw the project to fruition in 1931.
Returning to Jacksonville in 1931, he was appointed Assistant County Engineer for for
Duval County and, in 1939, County Engineer. In 1945, he received
an additional appointment as the County's first Zoning Director.
Notable achievements during his seventeen-year tenure as County Engineer
include the preparation of a Duval County topographic map, significant
drainage improvements, gasoline tax revenue revision, and numerous right-of-way
acquisitions for future highways.
In 1956, he was appointed Executive Director for the Jacksonville Expressway Authority,
later renamed the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (1971). As
JEA executive director, Mr. Sollee laid out the basic plans for the city's expressway system and supervised the planning and construction of the Mathews
and Hart bridges. (The J. T. Butler Boulevard Intracoastal Waterway
bridge is named in his honor.)
After retiring in 1972, he worked on completing his memoirs, The Engineer Speaks,
which was published in 1982. Mr. Sollee died on November 9, 1984.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
Newspaper clippings, subject files and reports relating to transportation
projects in Duval County, Florida. Includes extensive documentation
on the development of Jacksonville's road system, circa 1950-1970,
consisting chiefly of numerous, albeit irregular, primary reports
/ studies; beach erosion / bulkhead data; and personal notes on Jacksonville
transportation issues from the perspective of a prime participant.
Historical source documents include project files relating to plans
for Metropolitan Park and the Duval County Courthouse, and correspondence
/ newspaper clippings relating to the University of North Florida
site selection.
Few personal items are included.
ARRANGEMENT
Alphabetical by topic; chronological within folder.
INDEX TERMS
The following terms have been used to index the description of
this collection in the Library's online catalog:
Sollee, Arthur N., 1900-1984.
Jacksonville Expressway Authority.
University of North Florida.
Highway engineering -- Florida -- Jacksonville.
Highway engineering -- Florida -- Duval County.
Express highways -- Florida -- Jacksonville.
Express highways -- Florida -- Duval County.
Highway planning -- Florida -- Jacksonville.
Highway planning -- Florida -- Duval County.
Dames Point Bridge (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Jacksonville (Fla.) -- History.
Duval County (Fla.) -- History.
CONTAINER LIST
The Container list provides a listing of the folders as arranged in the
Collection. When available, links are included to
full-text resources and online images.
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