diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchFacetField.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchFacetField.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55caed27e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchFacetField.java
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchFacetField;
+
+/**
+ * A foundation class for implementing SearchFacetField.
+ */
+public class BaseSearchFacetField implements SearchFacetField {
+	private final String name;
+	private final List<Count> values;
+
+	public BaseSearchFacetField(String name, List<? extends Count> values) {
+		this.name = name;
+		this.values = new ArrayList<>(values);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String getName() {
+		return name;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public List<Count> getValues() {
+		return values;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * A foundation class for implementing SearchFacetField.Count.
+	 */
+	public static class BaseCount implements SearchFacetField.Count {
+		private final String name;
+		private final long count;
+
+		public BaseCount(String name, long count) {
+			this.name = name;
+			this.count = count;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public String getName() {
+			return name;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public long getCount() {
+			return count;
+		}
+
+	}
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchInputDocument.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchInputDocument.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2603dd8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchInputDocument.java
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchInputDocument;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchInputField;
+
+/**
+ * A foundation class for implementing SearchInputDocument.
+ */
+public class BaseSearchInputDocument implements SearchInputDocument {
+	private final Map<String, SearchInputField> fieldMap = new HashMap<>();
+	private float documentBoost = 1.0F;
+
+	@Override
+	public void addField(SearchInputField field) {
+		fieldMap.put(field.getName(), field);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addField(String name, Object... values) {
+		addField(name, 1.0F, Arrays.asList(values));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addField(String name, Collection<Object> values) {
+		addField(name, 1.0F, values);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addField(String name, float boost, Object... values) {
+		addField(name, boost, Arrays.asList(values));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addField(String name, float boost, Collection<Object> values) {
+		BaseSearchInputField field = new BaseSearchInputField(name);
+		field.setBoost(boost);
+		field.addValues(values);
+		fieldMap.put(name, field);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void setDocumentBoost(float searchBoost) {
+		this.documentBoost = searchBoost;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public float getDocumentBoost() {
+		return this.documentBoost;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchInputField getField(String name) {
+		return fieldMap.get(name);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Map<String, SearchInputField> getFieldMap() {
+		return new HashMap<>(fieldMap);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Sub-classes should override this if the field requires special
+	 * functionality.
+	 */
+	@Override
+	public SearchInputField createField(String name) {
+		return new BaseSearchInputField(name);
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchInputField.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchInputField.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..69dd3857e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchInputField.java
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchInputField;
+
+/**
+ * A foundation class for implementing SearchInputField.
+ */
+public class BaseSearchInputField implements SearchInputField {
+	private final String name;
+	private final List<Object> valueList = new ArrayList<>();
+
+	private float boost = 1.0F;
+
+	public BaseSearchInputField(String name) {
+		this.name = name;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addValues(Object... values) {
+		addValues(Arrays.asList(values));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addValues(Collection<? extends Object> values) {
+		valueList.addAll(values);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void setBoost(float boost) {
+		this.boost = boost;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String getName() {
+		return name;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public float getBoost() {
+		return boost;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Collection<Object> getValues() {
+		return new ArrayList<Object>(valueList);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Object getFirstValue() {
+		if (valueList.isEmpty()) {
+			return null;
+		} else {
+			return valueList.get(0);
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchQuery.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchQuery.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eccc6b243
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchQuery.java
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchQuery;
+
+/**
+ * A foundation class for implementing SearchQuery.
+ */
+public class BaseSearchQuery implements SearchQuery {
+	private String queryText;
+	private int start = 0;
+	private int rows = -1;
+
+	private final Set<String> fieldsToReturn = new HashSet<>();
+	private final Map<String, SearchQuery.Order> sortFields = new HashMap<>();
+	private final Set<String> filters = new HashSet<>();
+
+	private boolean faceting;
+	private final Set<String> facetFields = new HashSet<>();
+	private final Set<String> facetQueries = new HashSet<>();
+	private int facetMinCount = -1;
+
+	private final Map<String, List<String>> parameterMap = new HashMap<>();
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery setQuery(String query) {
+		this.queryText = query;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery setStart(int start) {
+		this.start = start;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery setRows(int rows) {
+		this.rows = rows;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addFields(String... names) {
+		return addFields(Arrays.asList(names));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addFields(Collection<String> names) {
+		this.fieldsToReturn.addAll(names);
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addSortField(String name, Order order) {
+		sortFields.put(name, order);
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addFilterQuery(String filterQuery) {
+		filters.add(filterQuery);
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addFilterQueries(String... filterQueries) {
+		this.filters.addAll(Arrays.asList(filterQueries));
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery setFaceting(boolean b) {
+		this.faceting = b;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addFacetFields(String... fields) {
+		facetFields.addAll(Arrays.asList(fields));
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addFacetQueries(String... queries) {
+		facetQueries.addAll(Arrays.asList(queries));
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery setFacetMinCount(int cnt) {
+		facetMinCount = cnt;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery addParameter(String name, String... values) {
+		parameterMap.put(name, Collections.unmodifiableList(new ArrayList<>(
+				Arrays.asList(values))));
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String getQuery() {
+		return queryText;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int getStart() {
+		return start;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int getRows() {
+		return rows;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Set<String> getFieldsToReturn() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableSet(fieldsToReturn);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Map<String, SearchQuery.Order> getSortFields() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableMap(sortFields);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Set<String> getFilters() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableSet(filters);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public boolean isFaceting() {
+		return faceting;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Set<String> getFacetFields() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableSet(facetFields);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Set<String> getFacetQueries() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableSet(facetQueries);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int getFacetMinCount() {
+		return facetMinCount;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Map<String, List<String>> getParameterMap() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableMap(parameterMap);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String toString() {
+		return "BaseSearchQuery [queryText=" + queryText + ", start=" + start
+				+ ", rows=" + rows + ", fieldsToReturn=" + fieldsToReturn
+				+ ", sortFields=" + sortFields + ", filters=" + filters
+				+ ", faceting=" + faceting + ", facetFields=" + facetFields
+				+ ", facetQueries=" + facetQueries + ", facetMinCount="
+				+ facetMinCount + ", parameterMap=" + parameterMap + "]";
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchResponse.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchResponse.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..955b1f20a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchResponse.java
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchFacetField;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResponse;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResultDocumentList;
+
+/**
+ * A foundation class for implementing SearchResponse;
+ */
+public class BaseSearchResponse implements SearchResponse {
+	private final Map<String, Map<String, List<String>>> highlighting;
+	private final Map<String, SearchFacetField> facetFields;
+	private final SearchResultDocumentList results;
+
+	public BaseSearchResponse(
+			Map<String, Map<String, List<String>>> highlighting,
+			Map<String, SearchFacetField> facetFields,
+			SearchResultDocumentList results) {
+		this.highlighting = highlighting;
+		this.facetFields = facetFields;
+		this.results = results;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchResultDocumentList getResults() {
+		return results;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Map<String, Map<String, List<String>>> getHighlighting() {
+		return Collections.unmodifiableMap(highlighting);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchFacetField getFacetField(String name) {
+		return facetFields.get(name);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public List<SearchFacetField> getFacetFields() {
+		return new ArrayList<>(facetFields.values());
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchResultDocument.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchResultDocument.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c33823b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/base/BaseSearchResultDocument.java
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResultDocument;
+
+/**
+ * A foundation class for implementing SearchResultDocument.
+ */
+public class BaseSearchResultDocument implements SearchResultDocument {
+	private final String uniqueId;
+	private final Map<String, Collection<Object>> fieldValuesMap;
+
+	public BaseSearchResultDocument(String uniqueId, Map<String, Collection<Object>> fieldValuesMap) {
+		this.uniqueId = uniqueId;
+		
+		Map<String, Collection<Object>> map = new HashMap<>();
+		for (String name : fieldValuesMap.keySet()) {
+			map.put(name, Collections.unmodifiableList(new ArrayList<>(
+					fieldValuesMap.get(name))));
+		}
+		this.fieldValuesMap = Collections.unmodifiableMap(map);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String getUniqueId() {
+		return uniqueId;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Collection<String> getFieldNames() {
+		return fieldValuesMap.keySet();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Object getFirstValue(String name) {
+		Collection<Object> values = fieldValuesMap.get(name);
+		if (values == null || values.isEmpty()) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		return values.iterator().next();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String getStringValue(String name) {
+		Object o = getFirstValue(name);
+		if (o == null) {
+			return null;
+		} else {
+			return String.valueOf(o);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Collection<Object> getFieldValues(String name) {
+		Collection<Object> values = fieldValuesMap.get(name);
+		if (values == null) {
+			return Collections.emptyList();
+		} else {
+			return values;
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Map<String, Collection<Object>> getFieldValuesMap() {
+		return fieldValuesMap;
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrConversionUtils.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrConversionUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..752c81b94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrConversionUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.solr;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery.ORDER;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.FacetField;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.QueryResponse;
+import org.apache.solr.common.SolrInputDocument;
+import org.apache.solr.common.SolrInputField;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchFacetField;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchInputDocument;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchInputField;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchQuery;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchQuery.Order;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResponse;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base.BaseSearchFacetField;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base.BaseSearchFacetField.BaseCount;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base.BaseSearchResponse;
+
+/**
+ * Utility method for converting from Solr-specific instances to Search-generic
+ * instances, and back.
+ */
+public class SolrConversionUtils {
+
+	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+	// Convert input documents to Solr-specific.
+	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+	static List<SolrInputDocument> convertToSolrInputDocuments(
+			Collection<SearchInputDocument> docs) {
+		List<SolrInputDocument> solrDocs = new ArrayList<>();
+		for (SearchInputDocument doc : docs) {
+			solrDocs.add(convertToSolrInputDocument(doc));
+		}
+		return solrDocs;
+	}
+
+	private static SolrInputDocument convertToSolrInputDocument(
+			SearchInputDocument doc) {
+		SolrInputDocument solrDoc = new SolrInputDocument(
+				convertToSolrInputFieldMap(doc.getFieldMap()));
+		solrDoc.setDocumentBoost(doc.getDocumentBoost());
+		return solrDoc;
+	}
+
+	private static Map<String, SolrInputField> convertToSolrInputFieldMap(
+			Map<String, SearchInputField> fieldMap) {
+		Map<String, SolrInputField> solrFieldMap = new HashMap<>();
+		for (String fieldName : fieldMap.keySet()) {
+			solrFieldMap.put(fieldName,
+					convertToSolrInputField(fieldMap.get(fieldName)));
+		}
+		return solrFieldMap;
+	}
+
+	private static SolrInputField convertToSolrInputField(
+			SearchInputField searchInputField) {
+		SolrInputField solrField = new SolrInputField(
+				searchInputField.getName());
+		solrField.addValue(searchInputField.getValues(),
+				searchInputField.getBoost());
+		return solrField;
+	}
+
+	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+	// Convert queries to Solr-specific.
+	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+	/**
+	 * Convert from a SearchQuery to a SolrQuery, so the Solr server may execute
+	 * it.
+	 */
+	static SolrQuery convertToSolrQuery(SearchQuery query) {
+		SolrQuery solrQuery = new SolrQuery(query.getQuery());
+		solrQuery.setStart(query.getStart());
+
+		int rows = query.getRows();
+		if (rows >= 0) {
+			solrQuery.setRows(rows);
+		}
+
+		for (String fieldToReturn : query.getFieldsToReturn()) {
+			solrQuery.addField(fieldToReturn);
+		}
+
+		Map<String, Order> sortFields = query.getSortFields();
+		for (String sortField : sortFields.keySet()) {
+			solrQuery.addSortField(sortField,
+					convertToSolrOrder(sortFields.get(sortField)));
+		}
+
+		for (String filter : query.getFilters()) {
+			solrQuery.addFilterQuery(filter);
+		}
+
+		solrQuery.setFacet(query.isFaceting());
+
+		for (String facetField : query.getFacetFields()) {
+			solrQuery.addFacetField(facetField);
+		}
+
+		for (String facetQuery : query.getFacetQueries()) {
+			solrQuery.addFacetQuery(facetQuery);
+		}
+
+		int minCount = query.getFacetMinCount();
+		if (minCount >= 0) {
+			solrQuery.setFacetMinCount(minCount);
+		}
+
+		Map<String, List<String>> parameterMap = query.getParameterMap();
+		for (String parameterName : parameterMap.keySet()) {
+			String[] values = parameterMap.get(parameterName).toArray(
+					new String[0]);
+			solrQuery.add(parameterName, values);
+		}
+
+		return solrQuery;
+	}
+
+	private static ORDER convertToSolrOrder(Order order) {
+		if (order == Order.DESC) {
+			return ORDER.desc;
+		} else {
+			return ORDER.asc;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+	// Convert responses to Search-generic
+	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+	static SearchResponse convertToSearchResponse(QueryResponse response) {
+		return new BaseSearchResponse(response.getHighlighting(),
+				convertToSearchFacetFieldMap(response.getFacetFields()),
+				new SolrSearchResultDocumentList(response.getResults()));
+	}
+
+	private static Map<String, SearchFacetField> convertToSearchFacetFieldMap(
+			List<FacetField> facetFields) {
+		Map<String, SearchFacetField> map = new HashMap<>();
+		for (FacetField facetField : facetFields) {
+			map.put(facetField.getName(), convertToSearchFacetField(facetField));
+		}
+		return map;
+	}
+
+	private static SearchFacetField convertToSearchFacetField(
+			FacetField facetField) {
+		return new BaseSearchFacetField(facetField.getName(),
+				convertToSearchFacetFieldCounts(facetField.getValues()));
+	}
+
+	private static List<BaseCount> convertToSearchFacetFieldCounts(
+			List<FacetField.Count> solrCounts) {
+		List<BaseCount> searchCounts = new ArrayList<>();
+		for (FacetField.Count solrCount : solrCounts) {
+			searchCounts.add(new BaseCount(solrCount.getName(), solrCount
+					.getCount()));
+		}
+		return searchCounts;
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrSearchEngine.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrSearchEngine.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a3dbf993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrSearchEngine.java
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.solr;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+
+import javax.servlet.ServletContext;
+
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.QueryResponse;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.config.ConfigurationProperties;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.Application;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.ComponentStartupStatus;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchEngine;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchEngineException;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchInputDocument;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchQuery;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResponse;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base.BaseSearchInputDocument;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base.BaseSearchQuery;
+
+/**
+ * The Solr-based implementation of SearchEngine.
+ */
+public class SolrSearchEngine implements SearchEngine {
+	private HttpSolrServer server;
+
+	/**
+	 * Set up the http connection with the solr server
+	 */
+	@Override
+	public void startup(Application application, ComponentStartupStatus css) {
+		ServletContext ctx = application.getServletContext();
+		String solrServerUrlString = ConfigurationProperties.getBean(ctx)
+				.getProperty("vitro.local.solr.url");
+		if (solrServerUrlString == null) {
+			css.fatal("Could not find vitro.local.solr.url in "
+					+ "runtime.properties.  Vitro application needs the URL of "
+					+ "a solr server that it can use to index its data. It "
+					+ "should be something like http://localhost:${port}"
+					+ ctx.getContextPath() + "solr");
+			return;
+		}
+
+		try {
+			server = new HttpSolrServer(solrServerUrlString);
+			server.setSoTimeout(10000); // socket read timeout
+			server.setConnectionTimeout(10000);
+			server.setDefaultMaxConnectionsPerHost(100);
+			server.setMaxTotalConnections(100);
+			server.setMaxRetries(1);
+			css.info("Set up the Solr search engine; URL = '"
+					+ solrServerUrlString + "'.");
+		} catch (Exception e) {
+			css.fatal("Could not set up the Solr search engine", e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void shutdown(Application application) {
+		server.shutdown();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void ping() throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			server.ping();
+		} catch (SolrServerException | IOException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException(
+					"Solr server did not respont to ping.", e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchInputDocument createInputDocument() {
+		return new BaseSearchInputDocument();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void add(SearchInputDocument... docs) throws SearchEngineException {
+		add(Arrays.asList(docs));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void add(Collection<SearchInputDocument> docs)
+			throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			server.add(SolrConversionUtils.convertToSolrInputDocuments(docs));
+		} catch (SolrServerException | IOException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException(
+					"Solr server failed to add documents " + docs, e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void commit() throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			server.commit();
+		} catch (SolrServerException | IOException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException("Failed to commit to Solr server.",
+					e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void commit(boolean wait) throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			server.commit(wait, wait);
+		} catch (SolrServerException | IOException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException("Failed to commit to Solr server.",
+					e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void deleteById(String... ids) throws SearchEngineException {
+		deleteById(Arrays.asList(ids));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void deleteById(Collection<String> ids) throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			server.deleteById(new ArrayList<>(ids));
+		} catch (SolrServerException | IOException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException(
+					"Solr server failed to delete documents: " + ids, e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void deleteByQuery(String query) throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			server.deleteByQuery(query);
+		} catch (SolrServerException | IOException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException(
+					"Solr server failed to delete documents: " + query, e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery createQuery() {
+		return new BaseSearchQuery();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchQuery createQuery(String queryText) {
+		BaseSearchQuery query = new BaseSearchQuery();
+		query.setQuery(queryText);
+		return query;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchResponse query(SearchQuery query) throws SearchEngineException {
+		try {
+			SolrQuery solrQuery = SolrConversionUtils.convertToSolrQuery(query);
+			QueryResponse response = server.query(solrQuery);
+			return SolrConversionUtils.convertToSearchResponse(response);
+		} catch (SolrServerException e) {
+			throw new SearchEngineException(
+					"Solr server failed to execute the query" + query, e);
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrSearchResultDocumentList.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrSearchResultDocumentList.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..196b87217
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/searchengine/solr/SolrSearchResultDocumentList.java
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+package edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.solr;
+
+import java.util.Iterator;
+
+import org.apache.solr.common.SolrDocument;
+import org.apache.solr.common.SolrDocumentList;
+
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResultDocument;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.modules.searchEngine.SearchResultDocumentList;
+import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.searchengine.base.BaseSearchResultDocument;
+
+/**
+ * A Solr-based implementation of SearchResultDocumentList.
+ * 
+ * It's necessary to use this instead of the base version, so the iterator can
+ * convert each document as it is requested.
+ */
+public class SolrSearchResultDocumentList implements SearchResultDocumentList {
+	private SolrDocumentList solrDocs;
+
+	public SolrSearchResultDocumentList(SolrDocumentList solrDocs) {
+		this.solrDocs = solrDocs;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Iterator<SearchResultDocument> iterator() {
+		return new SearchResultDocumentIterator(solrDocs.iterator());
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public long getNumFound() {
+		return solrDocs.getNumFound();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int size() {
+		return solrDocs.size();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public SearchResultDocument get(int i) {
+		return convertToSearchResultDocument(solrDocs.get(i));
+	}
+
+	private static class SearchResultDocumentIterator implements
+			Iterator<SearchResultDocument> {
+		private final Iterator<SolrDocument> solrIterator;
+
+		public SearchResultDocumentIterator(Iterator<SolrDocument> solrIterator) {
+			this.solrIterator = solrIterator;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public boolean hasNext() {
+			return solrIterator.hasNext();
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public SearchResultDocument next() {
+			return convertToSearchResultDocument(solrIterator.next());
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public void remove() {
+			throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+		}
+
+	}
+
+	private static SearchResultDocument convertToSearchResultDocument(
+			SolrDocument solrDoc) {
+		return new BaseSearchResultDocument(
+				(String) solrDoc.getFieldValue("DocId"),
+				solrDoc.getFieldValuesMap());
+	}
+
+}