Works Progress Administration (WPA) Statewide Archaeological Project

The Works Progress Administration, Statewide Archaeological Project was initiated in the spring of 1938 by Emil W. Haury, Department of Anthropology and the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. In May, 1938, the Arizona Board of Regents appointed a State Committee on Anthropology to draw up a proposal for the project and to recommend supervisory personnel for it. The committee was composed of Emil W. Haury, University of Arizona, Tucson, Chairman; Harold S. Colton, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff; Harold S. Gladwin, Gila Pueblo, Globe; Byron Cummings, Arizona State Museum, Tucson; and Odd S. Halseth, Pueblo Grande, Phoenix. The committee submitted a project proposal to the WPA in June, 1938 . After various bureaucratic delays and a request to rewrite the entire proposal, the WPA approved the original proposal in September, 1938 . It was assigned Project no. 1102. Project activities began in October, 1938, and ended in October, 1940 .

The Statewide Archaeological Project, as approved by the WPA, was divided into 5 subprojects with Roy Lassetter, Tucson, appointed Project Superintendent (this title varied as did all the titles on this project). Lassetter remained Project Superintendent until July 8, 1940, when he resigned to go into the Army. Irene Vickrey was then appointed Acting Project Superintendent, a position she held until the project was closed.

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