News
UW Names Anthropology Building for Late Archaeologist

The University of Wyoming’s Anthropology Building now bears the name of George Frison, a Worland native and UW graduate who achieved international acclaim as an archaeologist during a lengthy career as a UW faculty member. The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees voted Friday to name the building in Frison’s honor, at the request of UW’s Department of Anthropology, the university’s Naming Committee chaired by Provost Kevin Carman, and President Ed Seidel.
The George C. Frison Building, a 53,000-square-foot facility that was completed in 2007, houses the Department of Anthropology, the State Archaeologist’s Office, the cultural records section of the State Historic Preservation Office, the Frison Institute, the State Archaeological Repository and the Anthropology Museum. Frison, who founded the Department of Anthropology and was the first state archaeologist, is the only UW faculty member ever elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He died September 6, 2020, at the age of 95.

Kenneth L Heuermann
January 16, 2022 at 10:43 am
It was my privilege to work with Dr. Frison from the late 1960’s to present. He started his formal archaeology education in his late 40’s. But his practical education as a rancher/hunter was the best tool he brought to Wyoming archaeology. His understanding of animal behavior was most important to site interpretation. An insight that very few archaeologists had. He was an internationally known and respected. Again it was my great privilege to work with, respect his genius and to share a friendship with Doctor George C. Frison.