Richard Wetherill

Richard Wetherill (1858–1910) was a nineteenth-century rancher and explorer. He lived in southwest Colorado. He is often credited with "discovering" some of the most significant Ancestral Pueblo archaeological sites in the Four Corners area. However, the sites had been known to Indigenous people long before Wetherill arrived. Wetherill's findings got the attention of the white public. They led to expeditions that resulted in collections in Colorado museums and prestigious East Coast institutions.

The earliest written reports of ancient structures in the Mesa Verde region date to the late 1700s. William H. Jackson produced exquisite photographs of cliff dwellings in the late 1800s. However, it was not until 1888, when Wetherill and Charlie Mason encountered Cliff Palace and exhibited artifacts from there and surrounding sites, that the white public became interested in Colorado’s ancient past. That winter, Wetherill and Mason were chasing stray cattle in Cliff Canyon. Wetherill looked up and saw the site across the canyon. He knew what he was looking at because it had been described to him by Acowitz, a Ute friend. Wetherill and Mason investigated. They collected small items that they could carry easily. Thus began Wetherill’s career as an explorer of Ancestral Pueblo sites.

Richard was one of six children born to Benjamin and Marion Wetherill. He came from a Quaker family who in 1880 settled in Mancos Canyon to become cattle ranchers. The Wetherills were known as supporters of Native Americans. At the time, such sentiments were not popular. Richard was fluent in Navajo and Ute. He and his brothers are credited with recording more than 180 cliff dwelling archaeological sites in the area. History Colorado, then known as the Colorado Historical Society, purchased the first and fourth Mesa Verde collection made by Richard and others in 1888–89 and 1893.

Wetherill had little formal training in archaeology when he rose to prominence. Yet he produced remarkable notes, maps, and artifact catalogs. This is partly due to a season spent with Gustaf Nordenskiöld, a Swedish scientist, excavating sites in the summer of 1891. Nordenskiöld instructed Wetherill in scientific methods. This included how to count the rings on trees to determine their age. Wetherill pursued archaeological exploration more deeply than his brothers. He expanded his work to the Grand Gulch region of Utah. He is credited with coining the term “Basketmaker.” Wetherill recognized that these people lived before the Ancestral Puebloans at Cliff Palace. Wetherill is also credited with being one of, if not the first, to recognize the importance of stratigraphy, or the study of rock layers. He also explored Keet Seel, a major cliff dwelling site in Arizona.

Wetherill led many expeditions by the Hyde brothers. Their collections were sent to the American Museum of Natural History, and George Pepper, who worked for Harvard. Wetherill went on to explore Chaco Canyon. He moved there at the age of forty. While at Chaco, he explored, raised sheep, and started a trading post business. He unsuccessfully applied for permission to homestead there. Wetherill seemed to have run into conflict with professional archaeologists and was even accused of unethical business practices and mistreatment of Navajos. He gave up archaeology in 1906 to focus on his ranching and trading posts.

Richard was nearly broke when he was murdered at Chaco Canyon in 1910. Conflicting details surround his death. It appears he was killed as retaliation for one of his ranch workers beating a Navajo man whom the worker had accused of theft. Wetherill is buried at Chaco Canyon.

Richard Wetherill (1858–1910) was a nineteenth-century rancher and explorer. He lived in southwest Colorado. He is credited with "discovering" significant archaeological sites in the Four Corners area. The sites were known to Indigenous people long before Wetherill arrived. However, Wetherill's findings got the attention of the white public. Items from his expeditions ended up in collections in Colorado museums and East Coast institutions.

The earliest written reports of ancient structures in the Mesa Verde region date to the late 1700s. William H. Jackson produced photographs of cliff dwellings in the late 1800s. In 1888, Wetherill and Charlie Mason found Cliff Palace. That winter, Wetherill and Mason were chasing stray cattle in Cliff Canyon. Wetherill looked up and saw the site across the canyon. It had been described to him by Acowitz, a Ute friend. Wetherill and Mason explored and collected small items. This began Wetherill’s career exploring Ancestral Pueblo sites.

Richard was one of six children born to Benjamin and Marion Wetherill. He came from a Quaker family. In1880, they settled in Mancos Canyon to become cattle ranchers. The Wetherills were supporters of Native Americans. At the time, such feelings were not popular. Richard was fluent in Navajo and Ute. He and his brothers recorded more than 180 cliff dwelling sites.

Wetherill had little formal training in archaeology when he rose to fame. Yet he produced remarkable notes, maps, and artifact catalogs. This is partly due to a season spent with Gustaf Nordenskiöld in the summer of 1891. Nordenskiöld was a Swedish scientist. He instructed Wetherill in scientific methods. This included how to count the rings on trees to determine their age. Wetherill pursued archaeological exploration more than his brothers. He expanded his work to the Grand Gulch region of Utah. He is credited with coining the term “Basketmaker.” Wetherill recognized that these people lived before the Ancestral Puebloans at Cliff Palace. He is also credited with being one of the first to recognize the importance of stratigraphy. Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers.

Wetherill led many expeditions by the Hyde brothers. Their collections were sent to the American Museum of Natural History. Wetherill went on to explore Chaco Canyon. He moved there at the age of forty. There, Wetherill explored, raised sheep, and started a trading post business. He applied to homestead there but was denied. Wetherill came into conflict with professional archaeologists. He was accused of unethical business practices and mistreating Navajos. He gave up archaeology in 1906 to focus on his ranching and trading posts.

Richard was nearly broke when he was murdered at Chaco Canyon in 1910. Conflicting details surround his death. It appears he was killed in retaliation after one of his ranch workers beat a Navajo man. The ranch worker had accused the Navajo man of stealing. Wetherill is buried at Chaco Canyon.

Richard Wetherill (1858–1910) was a nineteenth-century rancher and explorer. He lived in southwest Colorado. He "discovered" significant archaeological sites in the Four Corners area. The sites were known to Indigenous people long before Wetherill arrived. However, Wetherill's findings got the attention of the white public. Items from his expeditions ended up in collections in Colorado museums and East Coast institutions.

The earliest written reports of ancient structures in the Mesa Verde region date to the late 1700s. William H. Jackson produced photographs of cliff dwellings in the late 1800s. In 1888, Wetherill and Charlie Mason found Cliff Palace. That winter, the men were chasing stray cattle in Cliff Canyon. Wetherill looked up and saw the site across the canyon. It had been described to him by Acowitz, a Ute friend. The men explored and collected small items. This began Wetherill's career.

Richard was one of six children. He came from a Quaker family. In1880, his family settled in Mancos Canyon. They became cattle ranchers. The Wetherills were supporters of Native Americans. At the time, such feelings were not popular. Richard was fluent in Navajo and Ute. He and his brothers recorded more than 180 cliff dwelling sites.

Wetherill had little formal training when he rose to fame. Yet he produced remarkable notes and maps. This is due to a season spent with Gustaf Nordenskiöld in the summer of 1891. Nordenskiöld was a Swedish scientist. He instructed Wetherill in scientific methods. This included how to count the rings on trees to determine their age.

Wetherill pursued exploration more than his brothers. He expanded his work to the Grand Gulch region of Utah. He coined the term “Basketmaker.” Wetherill is credited with being one of the first to recognize the importance of stratigraphy. Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers.

Wetherill led many expeditions by the Hyde brothers. Their collections were sent to the American Museum of Natural History. He went on to explore Chaco Canyon and moved there at the age of forty. There, Wetherill explored, raised sheep, and started a trading post business. He applied to homestead there but was denied. Wetherill came into conflict with professional archaeologists. They accused him of unethical business practices. Wetherill gave up exploring in 1906 to focus on his ranching and trading posts.

Richard was nearly broke when he was murdered at Chaco Canyon in 1910. Conflicting details surround his death. It appears he was killed after one of his ranch workers beat a Navajo man. The ranch worker had accused the Navajo man of stealing. Wetherill is buried at Chaco Canyon.