Woolworth, Alan R. (Alan Roland), 1924-

Alan R. Woolworth was born August 19, 1924 in Clear Lake, South Dakota. Woolworth was educated at the University of Nebraska and the University of Minnesota. He engaged in archaeological field work (1949-) in Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota; was staff archaeologist for the State Historical Society of North Dakota (1952-1957); was curator of exhibits at the Dearborn (Michigan) Historical Museum (1957-1960); and had a long career with the Minnesota Historical Society as museum curator (1960-1967), head of Museum and Historic Sites Department (1967-1968), chief archaeologist (1969-1979), and research fellow emeritus (1979-).

From the guide to the Research Notebooks on Minnesota Photography and Photographers., Alan R. Woolworth Papers., 1988-1995., (Minnesota Historical Society)

Historical archaeologist Alan Woolworth was born August 19, 1924, in Clear Lake, South Dakota, along with a twin brother, Arlan. In February 1943 he entered the army and, after training in California and England, was assigned to a machine gun squad in the 79th Infantry Division. He fought in France and Germany, where he suffered two wounds, and later served in the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia.

After returning to the U.S., Woolworth was educated at the Universities of Nebraska and Minnesota. He engaged in archaeological field work (1949-) in Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota; was staff archaeologist for the State Historical Society of North Dakota (1952-1957); was curator of exhibits at the Dearborn (Michigan) Historical Museum (1957-1960); and had a long career with the Minnesota Historical Society as museum curator (1960-1967), head of Museum and Historic Sites Department (1967-1968), chief archaeologist (1969-1979), and research fellow (1979-). He was also active in a number of archaeological societies.

Woolworth and his wife, Nancy L. Woolworth, formed Woolworth Research Associates, which conducted archaeological, ethnological, environmental, and historical surveys for commercial firms and for county and local governments in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Iowa.

From the guide to the Alan R. Woolworth papers., 1774-2008 (bulk 1830-2000)., (Minnesota Historical Society)