Wetherill
A History of Discovery
Mesa Verde Colorado
On December
18th, 1888, Richard Wetherill
and his brother-in-law Charles Mason along with Acowitz, a Ute tribe
member were riding across the mesa top looking for stray cattle.
At the edge of the Pinyon and Juniper forest surrounding them lay a
vast canyon and across it was a ancient city below a rock overhang.
Many accounts describe a blinding snow storm but nowhere in the
Wetherill family is there mentioned a blinding snow storm through
which they saw the ancient city. This story was promoted in
the book by Willa Cather "The Professor's House". Richard
and Charlie made their way across the canyon, made a cursory inspection of the cliff dwelling and left with a few artifacts.
These ranchers from the Mancos Valley were the first white men to
enter what they called "Cliff Palace". Three
years before in
1885, Richard Wetherill's brother, Al Wetherill saw Cliff Palace but
did not enter it. Gustaf Nordenskiold arrived at the Alamo
Ranch near Mancos, Colorado July 2, 1891 to begin explorations led
by the Wetherill's. He was instrumental in teaching the
Wetherill's Stratigraphy. These lessons led to the discovery
of the Basketmakers by Richard and John
Wetherill in Grand Gulch, Utah during the 1893 Hyde Exploring
expedition. Richard correctly determined that the Basketmakers were
an earlier race of people.
Spruce Tree House
Wetherill - Mason Descendants Gathering Spruce Tree House May 10, 2006
Standing L-R, Delbert Lilley and Betty Lilley, Richard Lilley and Beulah Lilley, Ken Swinehart, Harvey Leake, James (Jim) Wetherill Shaffner, Shannon Marie Brady, Mary Katherine Brady Wood, Sue Swinehart, Gretchen Mahan Brady, Kneeling L-R Marie Garcia Shaffner, Wren Wetherill, Fanny Wetherill, Chris Fine, Terry Watson
The Mesa Verde Institute was inaugurated on the park’s centennial anniversary in 2006, the Institute was established to offer visitors an expanded and in-depth experience at Mesa Verde National Park. Through weeklong seminars, day workshops, educational hikes, lectures, and special programs, visitors of all ages may engage in enhanced educational and interpretive opportunities and gain a new, behind-the-scenes understanding of Mesa Verde and the Four Corners region.
