Great Lakes-Ohio Valley Ethnohistorical Research Project

The Great Lakes-Ohio Valley Ethnohistorical Research Project was organized to research early records in order to determine the locations and migrations of the indigenous inhabitants of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley region during the period Europeans first moved into the area.

Funded by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, the project began in 1953 with a 3 year contract and was extended through 1967. It was originally headed by Charles F. Vogelein, but the principal researcher was Erminie Wheeler-Vogelein who later was named as the director. In the beginning, the project was loosely associated with the Indiana University Dept. of Anthropology. Information gathered during the project was used in cases before the Indian Claims Commission.