Raymond Charles Vietzen

Raymond Charles Vietzen was an American automobile dealer, artifact collector, and amateur archaeologist. As prolific author and artist from Elyria, Ohio, he wrote and illustrated numerous articles, books, and chapters in edited volumes on the history and prehistory of North America winning him many honors—chief among them the title of "Colonel." Col. Vietzen is probably best known for establishing the Indian Ridge Museum in 1930 and for founding the Archaeological Society of Ohio (formerly the Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society), whereby he presided as its editor, president, secretary, and treasurer from 1941 to 1980. Most of his publications are dedicated to the excavations that he led at many famous archaeological sites in Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. His relic collection was sold by Old Barn Auction between 1998 and 1999 grossing $1,777,652. In 2000, Colonel Matthew W. Nahorn founded the New Indian Ridge Museum in Amherst, Ohio, celebrating Col. Vietzen's legacy. However, Col. Vietzen has received criticism for digging Native American graves, as well as the sale and trade of antiquities.

Publications Vietzen was an authority on archaeology, geography, and history of the midwestern and eastern United States, particularly for Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, between 1941 and 1995. He penned over 35 publications. They include at least 17 books, 14 peer-reviewed scholarly articles, and 4 chapters in edited academic volumes. Many of these are available at public libraries or online.

Vietzen, Raymond (1946). "Birdstones and their probable use". Journal of the Illinois State Archaeological Society. 4 (2): 15–30. Vietzen, Raymond (1946). "Prehistory of the Black River Valley." Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin 15: 6–9. Vietzen, Raymond (1946). "Fraternizing with the ancient Kentuckians". Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin. 16: 3–13. Vietzen, Raymond (1946). "Along the Sandusky." https://www.worldcat.org/title/2265415Society Bulletin 17: 6, 8. Vietzen, Raymond (1946). "Morrison site." Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin 17: 8, 10. Vietzen, Raymond (1947). "Petroglyphs on the Ohio." Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin 19: 10–16. Vietzen, Raymond (1948). "Prehistoric pipes from Lorain County, Ohio." Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin 20: 9–10. Vietzen, Raymond (1949). "The Hasler mound." Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin 21: 1–14. Vietzen, Raymond (1950). Grimm, Robert (ed.) "My first visit to Cahokia." Cahokia Brought to Life: An Artifactual Story of America's Great Monument. St. Louis, Missouri: Greater St. Louis Archaeological Society. pp. 70–72. Vietzen, Raymond (1952). "Cave crawln’." Ohio Archaeologist [N.S.] 2 (3): 31. Vietzen, Raymond (1952). "A magnificent birdstone." Ohio Archaeologist [N.S.] 2 (3): 32–34. Vietzen, Raymond (1953). "A birdstone study." Ohio Archaeologist [N.S.] 3 (2): 30–34.

Vietzen, Raymond (1966). Aborigines of Cansadooharie. Ohio Genealogical Society Report 6 (2): 3. Vietzen, Raymond (1967). "Lorain County's Indians." Pathways of the Pioneers 2 (3).

Vietzen, Raymond (1974). Lorain County Historical Society (ed.) "Prologue." Lorain County Sesquicentennial. Elyria, Ohio: American Multi-Service. pp. 6–7. Vietzen, Raymond (1974). Lorain County Historical Society (ed.) "Indian Ridge Museum." Lorain County Sesquicentennial. Elyria, Ohio: American Multi-Service. p. 17.

Vietzen, Raymond (1980). "Fakes." Ohio Archaeologist 30 (4): 37–39.

Vietzen, Raymond (1988). Rothgery, James and Glendening, Anne (eds.) "Sheffield." Kipton-Camden Township History. Wellington, Ohio: Camden Historical Society.

Honors Col. Veitzen received numerous awards and honors for his accomplishments. as well as the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1944 Honorary "Kentucky Colonel" and "Citizen of Tennessee" by gubernatorial commissions 1957 Ohioana Author Award, 1962 Kentucky Historical Society by the state's legislature, 1969 "Who's Who in American Education," 1962–1965 "Who's Who in Antiquities," 1972 International "Who's Who in Art," 1973 Ohio Sesquicentennial Committee for Lorain County by gubernatorial commission, 1974 "Who's Who in America," 1975 "Man of Achievement" by the Ohio State House of Representatives, 1981 Lifetime Member of the Lorain County Historical Society The Founding Fathers of the Archaeological Society of Ohio

Excavations Col. Veitzen excavated hundreds of archaeological sites in the U.S. (15LO1) Lewisburg, Logan County, Kentucky, 1938–1942 Moes Site (33LN55) Brownhelm, Lorain County, Ohio, 1940 Seaman's Fort Site (33ER85) Milan, Erie County, Ohio, 1940–1942 Morris-Franks Site (33LN8) Brownhelm, Lorain County, Ohio, 1941–1942 Glover's Cave (15CH315) Trenton, Christian County, Kentucky, 1941–1955 Cahokia (11MS2) Collinsville, Madison County, Illinois, 1949 Riker Site (33TU2) Midvale, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, 1965–1967