Teapots and Scandals

This weekend I took an excursion to
the dry side of the state
for a little family time.

It's way different there, 
both in geography, climate and culture.

Besides growing lots of apples
and some pretty fine wines,
the region produces a bumper crop of Republicans.

(On the wet side of the state,
we tend to have a more moderate climate
and grow more Democrats and Independents.)

Notwithstanding the dry side's affinity for R's,
there's a little architectural oddity alongside
I-82 that makes allusion to one of the dark moments
in a Republican presidency almost a century ago.

Remember Warren Harding and the Teapot Dome Scandal?


In case you've forgotten that period of American history,
there was some hanky-panky in the selling of leases
of federal oil reserves in Wyoming.
It rocked the Harding presidency and landed 
the Interior Secretary Albert Fall in prison.

Talk about a fall guy.

So architect Jack Ainsworth designed
this dandy little gas station that was built in 1922.


Though it stopped dispensing motor gasoline
within the past five years,
it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Not exactly a "Postcards from Paradise,"
but close enough!

Comments

rebecca said…
i love this!!! it would make a perfect little art studio.
imagine the stories that would be shared over tea.

delicious and definitely a perfect postcard...

welcome home.

xoxoxoxox
Cute! Hope you are having a nice time with family.
Bee said…
WHY has no one marketed this adorable teapot as a garden shed? Never mind old political controversies . . .

And btw, are you talking about the Walla Walla area? I have an uncle who lives there, and sadly, he is devoted to Fox television. I will say no more. Do you suppose if he'd moved to Seattle, instead, he would have different political leanings?
I find it quite amusing considering that nowadays we have the Tea Party on the ultra conservative Republican side. I love the postcard. Perhaps they can use this on a postage stamp if they win the election (omg I never said that!)

welcome back Meri!
xoxo,
Noelle
Snap said…
Too much fun! Thanks for adding to my *tea* knowledge!
foxysue said…
I think this teapot belongs here in the UK, the nation of tea drinkers!
We have enough scandal of our own though ;~)

Sue x
Wonderful post!! Not at all the teapot I had expected but delightful none-the-less! Cathy
Wow! What a great post. I love those one-of-a-kind little buildings....the old cowboy boots and hat gas station, the Ballard fish that has a mouth that opens and closes, all those struktues from the past.

Thank you for the nice comment on my blog. I appreciate it!
gma said…
This is a cute and informative post.
The oil scandal does make it an appropriate gas station. However the Tea party reference is hilarious too. Glad you are back home.
:-)
Relyn Lawson said…
OH, I LOVE that teapot shed. LOVE IT!! Trust you to find something so wonderful and whimsical.
Eryl said…
Surely the best gas station ever! I want to move in.
Meri, Oh that cut little teapot, what a cute little cottage in the back it would make. Some interesting history you have in your state. Thanks for sharing it. Hope your Summer is great.

~Emily
The French Hutch
ELK said…
you always make me smile ~~

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