George Irving Quimby

1913-2003

    George Irving Quimby was born on May 4, 1913 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both of his parents were greatly intrigued by history, especially that of the local Indians. Quimby graduated from Central High School in the spring of 1932 and started college at the University of Michigan later that year. Thereafter, he attended the University of Chicago’s Anthropology’s graduate program. But before he finished, Quimby was sidetracked by the opportunity to go to Louisiana to work under a man named Jim Ford and while there, George met an art student named Helen Ziehm whom he married in the fall of 1940.

    George is known as an American anthropologists studying archaeology, ethno history, ethnology, as well as being an outstanding museum director.

    After his work in Louisiana was completed, Quimby returned to Michigan and became the Director of the Muskegon Museum. Two years later he accepted a position as the Chair of the Anthropology Department in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where he would work and research for the next 13 years. In 1965, George moved to Seattle to become a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington. Three years afterwards George took on yet another job of  Director of the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, which, at the time was losing major funding. In just 14 years George helped increase the museum’s budget from $175,000 to almost $1,000,000.

    Quimby also encouraged the University of Washington to create the first graduate program in Museology, and in 1973 the university accepted its first class. After accomplishing his goals George Quimby left from the museum and the university in 1983 to pursue his research and discovery.

    Quimby's achievements include the exploration and recordings of many parts of North America including extensive research in the Great Lakes region, Hudson Bay, Mississippi River Valley, Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest. He has written many books and documents and has even made two anthropological movies. His studies and methods have greatly influenced many of today’s professionals. Quimby was best known for being professor of anthropology, and as curator of archaeology, and ethnology, and  curator of ethnology at the Burke Museum.

    George passed away in 2003.

References

Dunnell, Robert C., & Grayson Donald K., "Lulu Linear Punctated: Essays in Honor of George Irving Quimby” Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan UP, 1983

Ritzenthaler, Robert E., & Quimby, George I.“The Red Ocher Culture of the Upper Great Lakes and Adjacent Areas” Chicago: Chicago Natural History Museum, 1962

Edited By: Holly Schwichtenberg, 2006