Herschel E. Shepard Papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0417

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The Herschel E. Shepard Papers date from 1961 to 2009 and document Shepard's expertise in Florida's historic architecture and his many contributions to preservation and restoration in the state. Shepard's work covers the entire range of Florida's architectural past, including restoration of landmark buildings such as the 1902 Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee and reconstruction of such historically significant sites as the Second Seminole War era Fort Foster and the Spanish mission site of San Luis de Apalachee. Included in the collection are project files, drawings, photographs, architectural and historic preservation committee files, records from the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board (HSAPB), artifacts, and audiovisual material.

Series 1: "Project files, 1961-2009; bulk: 1961-2008" contains commissions from firms in which Shepard was a principal. Firms include Herschel E. Shepard, Architect; Herschel E. Shepard, AlA, Architect; Herschel Shepard and Robert Woolverton, A Joint Venture; Fisher, Broward, Shepard & Coons, Architects & Planners, Inc.; Fisher, Broward, & Shepard, Architects & Planners, Inc.; Fisher & Shepard, Architects & Planners, Inc.; Shepard Associates, Architects & Planners, Inc.; Herschel E. Shepard, FAlA, Architect; and Herschel E. Shepard, FAlA Emeritus.

The project files consist of correspondence, research, and design-related files. The files are arranged by project number. Detailed summaries for selected projects is available here. Many accounting files and files containing personal information have been removed. Related photographs, drawings, supplemental reports, artifacts, and audio-visual material can be found in relevant series, and can be identified by project number.

Series 2: "Photographs, 1963-2002" contains project photographs including slides, prints, and negatives, as well as electronic images and reproductions stored on floppy disks and CD's. Oversized photographs can be found in Series 3. Folders are arranged by project number.

Series 3: "Oversize photographs and miscellaneous, 1965-1984" contains oversize photographs, drawings, negatives, and award material. Folders are arranged by project number.

Series 4: "Artifacts and audiovisual records, 1975-1987" contains artifacts and audiovisual material related to projects including audio cassettes, samples of nails, tile, and other building fragments. Folders are arranged by project number.

Series 5: "Supplemental materials for projects and copies of reports, 1972-1987" contains additional supplemental materials and reports concerning projects. Folders are arranged by project number.

Series 6: "Drawings, 1961-2005" contains drawings, tracings, and printed sheets, including reduced presentation drawings, mounted drawings, and film negatives of drawings. Series 6 is further divided into three subseries based on storage and format. Subseries 6a. "Drawings (Rolled Storage), 1961-2000" contains drawings stored rolled in boxes. Subseries 6b. "Drawings (Flat Files), 1965-2005" contains drawings stored in oversize flat folders. Subseries 6c. "Drawings (microfiche), 1969-1986" contains large manually-executed drawings that have been commercially scanned and placed on microfiche. Folders and boxes each series are arranged by project number.

Series 7: "Committee files, 1967-2000" contains committee files related to various architectural and historic preservation committees to which Shepard was involved. Including the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation where Shepard served as the Director and Founder from 1978-1979, the National Trust for Historic Preservation where he served as an advisor, and the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (F.A.I.A.) serving as Secretary (1966-1967), State Director (1967-1968), Vice-President (1969-1970), and President (1970-1971). The files are arranged alphabetically.

Series 8: "Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board (HSAPB) records, 1960-1997; bulk: 1991-1997" contains meeting notes and other material related to the board. Shepard served as a Trustee from 1992 to 1997.

Dates

Creation: 1961-2009

Creator

Shepard, Herschel E. (Person)

Access

The collection is open for research.

Biographical/Historical Note

Herschel E. Shepard was born in Jacksonville, Florida on June 29, 1931. He attended Princeton, obtaining a B.A. in 1953 and receiving a Master of Fine Arts in Architecture in 1956. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps 1956-1958 and continued to serve in the reserve until 1962.

Shepard began his practice in 1961 as Herschel E. Shepard, Architect, 1661 Beach Avenue, Atlantic Beach, Florida. In 1963 Shepard purchased the practice of James A. Meehan, 2014 Arcadia Place, Jacksonville, and remained at that location until May 1, 1967, when Shepard and Robert Woolverton, AIA purchased 1942 Landon Avenue, in Fletcher Park, to use as an office for their separate practices and occasional joint venture projects. On January 1, 1969, the firm of Fisher, Broward, Shepard, & Coons, Architects and Planners, Inc. 456 University Boulevard, was founded. Over time this firm became Fisher and Shepard, Architects & Planners, Inc. On January 1, 1978, Shepard established the firm of Shepard Associates, Architects & Planners Inc., and during that year designed and constructed a new office at 2111 Corporate Square Boulevard.

In 1985 Shepard was appointed Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, University of Florida, and began commuting to Gainesville to teach as a full-time faculty member. Shepard Associates Architects & Planners Inc. was dissolved in February, 1990, and the practice became Herschel E. Shepard, FAIA, a one-person preservation research and consulting firm. In 1993 Shepard became a full Professor, leased the Corporate Square office to Peter Rumpel, FAIA, and moved his consulting practice to his home at 1661 Beach Avenue, Atlantic Beach. The Corporate Square office was sold to Peter Rumpel and Tom McNett in April, 1998. Shepard retired from the University in December, 1996, but continued to teach as an adjunct through 2001. He continues to work in limited practice as a consultant.

Extent

129.41 Linear feet (210 Boxes and 41 Flat Folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Collection documenting Herschel E. Shepard's expertise in Florida's historic architecture and his many contributions to preservation and restoration in the state. Shepard's work covers the entire range of Florida's architectural past, including restoration of landmark buildings such as the 1902 Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee and reconstruction of such historically significant sites as the Second Seminole War era Fort Foster and the Spanish mission site of San Luis de Apalachee. Included in the collection are project files, drawings, photographs, architectural and historic preservation committee files, records from the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board (HSAPB), artifacts, and audiovisual material.

Arrangement

The Herschel E. Shepard Papers are divided into eight records series.

Physical Location

Please note that part of this collection is housed in the Auxiliary Library Facility off campus and will require advance notice for timely retrieval. Please contact the Special and Area Studies Collections department prior to your visit.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Herschel Shepard in 2010-2011. Additional projects (boxes 203-206) donated in 2019.

Alternative Format Available

Digital reproductions of selected items in the Herschel E. Shepard Papers are available online via the University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC). Please read the Permissions for Use statement for information on copyright, fair use, and use of UFDC digital objects.