Lange, Charles H

Charles Henry Lange was born in Wisconsin on July 3, 1917. He earned his B.A. (1940), M.A, (1942) and Ph.D. in Anthropology (1951) from the University of New Mexico His dissertation was, “An Evaluation of Economic Factors In Cochiti Pueblo Culture Change."

Lange trained and worked with many of the well-known anthropologists of his time, including Leslie Spier, W.W. Hill, Frank Hibben, Edger Hewett, Bertha Dutton, Florence Hawley Ellis, Marjorie Lambert, and Donovan Senter. His New Mexico fieldwork was conducted at Chaco Canyon, Bandelier, Sandia Cave, Tijeras Canyon, Cochiti, Cochiti Dam, the Gallinas area, and with various Pueblos.

Lange was a T.A. for the Anthropology and German departments at UNM, and went on to teach at the University of Texas (1947-1955); Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (1955-1971), with stints as curator of anthropology in the museum (1957-1959) and chair of the department (1966-1971), and Northern Illinois University (1971-1979), serving as chair from 1971-1974. Lange retired in 1979 and moved back to New Mexico, where he taught part time at the University of New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands University, Santa Fe Community College, and a Colgate University program in Santa Fe.

Lange has more than 90 publications to his credit, including Cochiti: A New Mexico Pueblo, Past and Present and the 4 volume, award winning Southwestern Journals of Adolph Bandelier. He was awarded many honors and recognitions during his lifetime. Charles H. Lange died of a heart attack in Santa Fe, NM on July 8, 2003. Cochiti Governor, Simon E. Suina delivered the final eulogy at his funeral.

Source: Reyman, Jonathan E. “Charles H. Lange (1917-2003)." Kiva 69:2, p. 229-232.

From the guide to the Charles H. Lange papers and photographs pertaining to Cochiti Pueblo, NM, 1897-1990, 1946-1957, (University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research)