The Museum of Anthropology, Washington State University, is a federal archaeological repository and contains both ethnographic and archaeological research collections.
The museum had its beginnings in 1894 when Charles R. Conner, president of the Board of Regents of what was then Washington State College, acquired 2 "carloads" of museum specimens while attending the Chicago World's Fair. These items were combined with other materials on campus to form the core of the Washington State College Museum of Natural History.
During 1949-1950, the Natural History Museum was divided by discipline, and anthropological specimens were transferred to the Department of Anthropology. Some of the ethnographic materials were in display cases in Todd Hall on campus from 1951 to 1963, but most were placed in storage in the Todd basement. In 1963, the displayed materials were also put in storage.
All these materials remained in storage until September 1968, when they were transferred to the new Museum of Anthropology in the neighboring building, Johnson Tower. Most historic artifacts held by the anthropology department were transferred to "well-established historical collections in the Northwest Region" in accordance with a directive from the university president.
The museum in Johnson Tower was extensively remodeled in 1975. In 1984 the museum (along with all the branches of the anthropology department) moved to its current space in College Hall. Currently, the public area of the museum is 2,500 square feet, with a preparation room and an environmentally controlled storage vault equipped with a "movable aisle" storage system.
(Source: Washington State University Museum of Anthropology website,
This collection consists of photographic slides, collection inventory information, reports, and supporting documentation for the Lucullus McWhorter artifact collection held by the Museum of Anthropology, Washington State University.
These materials have been arranged in a single series.
Selected images from this collection have been digitized and can be found online in the
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
[Item Description]
Washington State University Museum of Anthropology: Lucullus McWhorter Collection Administrative Records (UA 261)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The administrative records of the Lucullus McWhorter artifact collection were transferred to the University Archives from the Museum of Anthropology in 2005.
This collection was processed in 2006 by Cheryl Gunselman.
The artifacts described and depicted in these records are held by the Museum of Anthropology, College Hall, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
Lucullus Virgil McWhorter Papers, 1848-1945
Lucullus Virgil McWhorter "Field History" manuscript, Revision A, circa
1941-1944
Lucullus Virgil McWhorter Photographs, circa 1868-1950
Andrew James Edmiston Collection of Lucullus V. McWhorter Ephemera,
circa 1941
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.