Teapot Dome: America's ORIGINAL Public Lands Scandal @NationalParkDiaries

Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago

Before Watergate, there was the Teapot Dome Scandal. This scandal is pretty famous and it's taught pretty widely in American history classes, but what you might not know, is that it's a PUBLIC LANDS scandal. The fraudulent oil leases at the center of Teapot Dome were on public land, and for me, that's a fascinating lens through which to cover this otherwise well-known scandal. I hope you enjoy it.

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Sources and Resources:

wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/teapot-dome-scandal
britannica.com/event/Teapot-Dome-Scandal
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/johnson/teapotdome.htm#IIIA1
The Teapot Dome Scandal: How Big Oil Bought the Harding White House and Tried to Steal the Country by Laton McCartney

Images:

Library of Congress
National Park Service
Storyblocks

Teapot Dome: Americas ORIGINAL Public Lands Scandal

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