(2019 Grand Teton Ep 11)
From Devil’s Tower we headed west, eagerly anticipating the Tetons after a night in Riverton, Wyoming (map point 8). As we drove, the Black Hills of eastern Wyoming smoothed to gently rolling golden grasslands, with occasional hills and canyons.
We discovered we would be passing Teapot Rock (map point A), quite literally in the middle of nowhere – 27 miles north of Casper WY! The teapot rests atop Teapot Dome, location of the infamous bribery scandal involving the administration of United States President Warren G. Harding from 1921-1923.
As the US Navy transitioned from coal to fuel oil, several oil-producing areas, including the Teapot Dome oilfield in Wyoming, were designated as oil reserves so the Navy would always have enough fuel available. A member of Harding’s cabinet, Interior Secretary Albert Fall, leased the oil production rights at Teapot Dome to a subsidiary of Sinclair Oil Corporation. Fall was accused of accepting sizable loans and gifts to award the leases to the oil company.
The Teapot Dome scandal is regarded as the worst cabinet scandal in US history and has been compared with subsequent scandals like Watergate (and some say the Trump administration).
Teapot Rock no longer resembles a teapot – the handle and spout broke off some years ago. Perhaps it should be renamed Teapot Urn!
Next week’s blog – we arrive at the Tetons!
Take the LONG Road... 