Grand Teton Oil Company scrapbook
Scope and Contents
This scrapbook contains 109 original gelatin silver photographs, around 240 newspaper clippings, 7 printed leaflets, and 5 maps detailing the operations of the Grand Teton Oil Company located eight miles west of Driggs, Idaho from 1928 to 1931. This scrapbook was compiled by Frank L. Waller, the company's fiscal manager and field man. Most of the photos show the drilling rig and drilling sites (Blevins #1 and Bevan #1) but also includes photos of company employees and fishing excursions. Newspaper articles are primarily from the Idaho Falls Post, Teton Valley News (Driggs), and the Times-Register (Idaho Falls). This scrapbook provides a rare look at oil production and exploration for Southeast Idaho.
Dates
- Creation: 1928-1934
Creator
- Waller, Frank Leopold, 1885-1962 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Grand Teton Oil Company scrapbook must be obtained from the Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Section Head.
Biographical / Historical
The Grand Teton Oil Company was formed in 1928 on approximately 8000 acres near the Horseshoe Creek Anticline (near Driggs, Idaho). Using the former holdings and drilling sites of the Teton Valley Land and Leasing Company, the Grand Teton Oil Co. installed additional equipment and started sinking two wells known as Blevins No. 1 and Bevan No. 1. George W. Edgington (an Idaho Falls lawyer and former mayor) was the president, Christian Vrang the geologist and Roy C. Zuver was the superintendent. Other members of the board of directors include Nils Hoff, H.R. Hatch, A.L. Brown, Leo F. Smith, and Ralph Stone.The drilling did not produce sufficient quantities of oil and compounded by the economic climate of the early 1930's, the company eventually ceased operations. In 1938 the Grand Teton Oil Co. was in a list of Oregon corporations which hadn't paid their license fees for two or more years.
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Consists of a scrapbook with photographs, newspaper clippings, advertising leaflets, and maps detailing the operations of the Grand Teton Oil Company, located near Driggs, Idaho.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials were purchased from Globus Rare Books and Archives in 2024.
Processing Information
The section of the scrapbook with newspaper clippings has be treated for de-acidification, and photograph pages are interleaved with non-buffered paper, designed to protect the emulsion surface of the photographs.
- Title
- Guide to the Grand Teton Oil Company scrapbook
- Author
- Finding aid created by Heather Housley and Dan Davis
- Date
- 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu