Frank Page

Frank Page (February 22, 1875 – December 20, 1934) was an American industrialist and banker. He is considered the father of the North Carolina Highway System.

Early life and education Frank Page was born in Cary, North Carolina, on February 22, 1875. His parents were Allison Francis Page, Cary's founder, and Catherine Raboteau. Allison Francis developed railroads and lumber industry throughout North Carolina. Frank was the youngest of five sons, including Walter Hines Page and Robert N. Page. The Page family relocated to Aberdeen, North Carolina, when Frank was six years old. He completed his preparatory education at Davis Military School. He attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1894 to 1895 and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

He subsequently worked at his father's businesses, serving as manager of the Page Lumber Company, general manager of the Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad, and vice president of the Page Trust Company. On June 17, 1896, Page married Ella Barringer Martin. They had three children, including Allison Martin Page, Clara Martin Page, and Frank Martin Page. The North Carolina Assembly originally appropriated $50 million to finance the construction of a state highway system, although the actual cost of the project was eventually doubled. During his tenure, he oversaw what was, at the time, the state's largest spending on a single project in history. He is considered the father of the modern highway system in North Carolina. Herbert Hoover also appointed Page to the National Highway Safety Council. Page was reappointed by Governor Angus Wilton McLean for another six-year term as commissioner of the State Highway Commission in 1927.

Death and legacy Page died in Raleigh, North Carolina, on December 20, 1934. He was buried at the Old Bethesda Cemetery in Aberdeen. A bronze plaque commemorating him is at the entrance of the Highway Building in Raleigh.