Amerind Foundation facts for kids
The Amerind Foundation is a special place that acts as both a museum and a research center. It's dedicated to learning about and protecting the cultures and histories of Native American people. You can find it near a small village called Dragoon in Cochise County, Arizona. This is about 65 miles east of Tucson, in a beautiful area known as Texas Canyon.
The name "Amerind" is a shorter way of saying "American Indian." It combines parts of both words.
Contents
The Story of Amerind
The Amerind Foundation was started in 1937 by a man named William Shirley Fulton. He was a businessman and also an archaeologist, which means he studied ancient cultures by looking at things they left behind.
The Main Building
The main building at the Amerind Foundation was designed by an architect named Merritt Starkweather. Inside, you'll find an amazing collection of items from ancient times and different cultures. These are called archaeological and ethnological artifacts. The building also has a large library for research.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many permanent exhibits that show what life was like for Native American people. You can see ancient tools, weapons, and baskets that were found right on the Amerind property. Some of these were discovered by the founder, William Shirley Fulton, and later by director Charles C. Di Peso. There are also items from other important digs, like those at Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, in Mexico.
The exhibits include things like sandals, ropes made from human hair, and different kinds of cloth. You can also see items from many different Indigenous peoples, from Alaska all the way to South America. These include beautiful jewelry, more baskets, weapons, and special boards used to carry babies. There are also religious items, figures, pottery, and various forms of art.
The Art Gallery
The Fulton-Hayden Memorial Art Gallery displays paintings by artists from the 20th century. These include both Anglo (people of European descent) and Native American artists.
Texas Canyon Nature Preserve
The Amerind Museum is part of a large 1,900-acre area that includes the Texas Canyon Nature Preserve. This preserve has more than six miles of trails. As you walk along these trails, you'll see incredible granite rocks that look like they are balanced on top of each other. These unique shapes were carved over a very long time by wind, rain, and other natural forces.
Published Research
The Amerind Foundation has published many books and studies about their archaeological findings and research into Native American cultures. These books share important information with other researchers and the public.
See also
- Category:Native American history of Arizona
