The NWAF was organized in 1952 for the purpose of supporting archaeological research into
pre-Columbian cultures of
Mesoamerica. It was founded by Thomas Stuart Ferguson,
Alfred V. Kidder and
Harvard University professor
Gordon Willey. It was initially incorporated in California as a private organization with Ferguson in charge of fund-raising. The first project by the NWAF was headed by
Pedro Armillas with archaeological studies along the
Grijalva River. As early as 1953, the NWAF received funding from
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after Ferguson approached church leaders. LDS apostle
John Widtsoe served on the board of directors. Ferguson had a passion for looking for archaeological evidences for the
Book of Mormon and he reminded the church leadership that discovering Book of Mormon artifacts would assist in the church's missionary program. NWAF has always remained an archaeological foundation that includes many people not members of the LDS church. Initially the only Latter-day Saint on the foundation's advisory committee of five was
M. Wells Jakeman. It also included Kidder, Willey, Armillas and
Gordon F. Eckholm. The NWAF became part of BYU in 1961 and Ferguson was removed from the director position and
Howard W. Hunter was put in his place. Hunter was affiliated with NWAF for the next 24 years. The original purpose of the foundation was described as: The foundation has since been heavily involved with archaeological studies at such locations as
Izapa,
San Isidro,
El Mirador,
Paso de la Amada, and most recently again at
Chiapa de Corzo. As of 2009 the NWAF was directed by
Donald W. Forsyth, Professor of Anthropology at Brigham Young University. He succeeded
John E. Clark who was the director for many years. ==See also==