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Edgar L. Hewett Collection

 Collection
Identifier: AC 105

Scope and Content

Collection contains Edgar L. Hewett's personal and business papers and covers the years 1905 to 1947. The folders are mostly in chronological order until Hewett's death in 1946, although the letters are not strictly in order by date. Folders in the later boxes are in alphabetical order by subject matter, and sometimes these are in reverse chronological order. Undated and incomplete letters for any particular period are normally at the end of a folder.

Correspondence is arranged chronologically and topically, and includes correspondence with Carlos Vierra, Alice C Fletcher, Walter Ufer, Julius Rolshoven, Frank Springer, and Charles Lummis and many others.

Also included are records of the Museum of New Mexico, the School of American Research, and other institutions (such as San Diego Museum, Panama-California Exposition, Santa Fe Fiesta, New Mexico Normal University [New Mexico Highlands University] and various excavations) as well as Edgar L. Hewett's manuscripts, some memorabilia, and newspaper clippings.

Dates

  • 1891-1960

Creator

Language of Materials

English, Spanish, French.

Access Restrictions

None

Copy Restrictions

Duplication allowed for research purposes User responsible for all copyright compliance

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is being digitized and large portions may be unavailable. Contact library staff (505)476-5090, historylibrary@dca.nm.gov with specific questions.

Biographical Note

Edgar L. Hewett was born in Warren County, Illinois, November 23, 1865. His early life and education were in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, and later in Colorado, where Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier and his work on the Pajarito Plateau influenced him. In 1891 he married Cora Whitford (who passed away in 1905). In 1904 Hewett received a Ph.D. in Geneva, Switzerland. December 31, 1911 Hewett married Donizetta Adalede Jones Wood (1869-1960). All his adult life, Hewett was active in all facets of anthropology, art, and culture of the Southwest, was involved in many organizations, activities, and institutions, and published many books and articles on archaeology. He passed away 1946 and his ashes were placed in a wall niche with a bronze plaque in the Museum of Fine Arts courtyard.

Quite frequently, Hewett headed multiple organizations and institutions at the same time. In 1898 he became the first president of Normal University in Las Vegas, NM, and subsequently in the 1920s taught at San Diego State Teacher's College and at the University of New Mexico. In the early 20th century, Hewett became the head of the newly established Museum of New Mexico (1909), was appointed Director of Exhibits for the 1915/1916 Panama-California Exhibition in San Diego, and led the founding of the Fine Arts Museum. Hewett was active in the Archaeological Society of New Mexico; American Research for the Archaeological Institute of America; the School of American Archaeology (School of American Research); Santa Fe Fiesta activities; and the Laboratory of Anthropology which he opened with funding from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1931).

Hewett spent time on excavations in the Southwest, Mexico and Central and South America. Among places, he worked in Mesa Verde, the Pajarito Plateau, and Quirigua, Guatemala. He was also politically active in the creation of the Antiquity Bill (1905) and the defeat of the Bursum Bill that proposed taking land from the Pueblos. Hewett worked with many locally as well as nationally well-known men and women. In Santa Fe, he fostered and promoted Sylvanus Morley, Alfred Kidder, and John Fletcher, worked with Jesse Nusbaum , Kenneth Chapman , Paul A. F. Walter, Wesley Bradfield, and Ralph Emerson Twitchell. He supported Tsianina, a Native American, who was the featured singer at the Santa Fe Fiesta for many years. Among the many artists he supported and/or worked with were Gerald Cassidy, Carlos Vierra, Frank Applegate and Mary Austin. Through his profession, he became friends with Frank Springer, Alice Cunningham Fletcher, William H. Holmes, Frederick W. Putnam, and Barbara Friere-Marreco, a British researcher involved with Santa Clara Pueblo.

Extent

24 Linear Feet

Separated Material

Oversize items from Hewett collection - in map case.

Drawing of restoration of Puye Communal Building and adjacent Cliff dwelling. Marriage certificate - Edgar L Hewett and Cora E Whitford. Document certifing Hewett as a designated delegate to the 18th International Congress of Americanists - signed Huntington Wilson, Acting Sec of State, 1912. Diploma to Sallie Jacobs from Daughters' College, Kentucky, June 1861. Diploma to Cora E Whitford from Lindenwood Female College, St Charles, Mo, 188?. Diploma to E.L. Hewett from the State Normal School of Colorado June 1893 (2 copies). Diploma to Cora Whitford Hewett from the State Normal School of Colorado, June 18. Certificate honoring Hewett as a 33 degree Mason.

Photographs and negatives received with the collection are housed and cataloged separately

General

Contact Information

  1. Fray Angélico Chávez History Library
  2. New Mexico History Museum
  3. P.O. Box 2087
  4. Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-2087, U.S.A.
  5. Phone: (+)505.476.5090
  6. Fax: (+)505.476.5104
  7. Email: histlib@mnm.state.nm.us
  8. URL: www.palaceofthegovernors.org
Title
Guide to the Edgar L. Hewett Collection, 1891-1960
Status
Edited Full Draft
Author
Processed by Library Staff - re-processed in 2007 by Dan Prall
Date
©2000 - updated ©2008
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is in English

Revision Statements

  • June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//Museum of New Mexico::Fray Angelico Chavez History Library//TEXT (US::NmSM::AC 105::Edgar L. Hewett Collection)//EN" "nmsm1ac105.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
  • Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.

Repository Details

Part of the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library Repository

Contact:
Fray Angélico Chávez History Library
New Mexico History Museum
113 Lincoln Ave
Sante Fe NM 87501 USA
(505) 476-5090