Why Rockefeller secretly bought 35,000 acres, then donated them
In 1927, John D. Rockefeller Jr. quietly began buying large areas of land in Wyoming’s Jackson Hole through the Snake River Land Company. The company concealed Rockefeller’s involvement and eventually acquired more than 35,000 acres for $1.4 million. The land was later donated to the US government and became part of Grand Teton National Park.
In the 1920s, the picturesque valley of Jackson Hole in Wyoming experienced rapid growth due to an influx of tourists and a burgeoning development industry. Local ranchers and businessmen, however, grew increasingly anxious about the proliferation of cabins, gas stations, dancehalls, billboards, and racetracks spoiling the pristine landscape. Concerns over unchecked development prompted local residents to unite in 1923, forming a conservation movement to safeguard the valley's open spaces.
The conservation efforts gained a significant boost when John D. Rockefeller Jr. visited Jackson Hole in 1926 and was captivated by the region's stunning mountain scenery. Impressed by the beauty of the area, Rockefeller began contemplating a plan to acquire private land across the valley and ultimately donate it to the federal government to become part of the future Grand Teton National Park.
However, Rockefeller and Yellowstone Superintendent Horace Albright decided to keep their plan under wraps initially, fearing public knowledge might drive up the prices of land parcels. To achieve this, they formed the Snake River Land Company in 1927, a chartered shell company that appeared to the local community as a recreational and hunting club.
Rockefeller's plan received support from Robert E. Miller, a highly influential figure in the valley, who bought the land on behalf of the Snake River Land Company. Miller was an outspoken critic of Albright and the National Park Service's conservation efforts, yet he was the one purchasing the land with the ultimate goal of preserving the area's natural beauty.
By 1930, the Snake River Land Company had successfully acquired over 35,000 acres of land in Jackson Hole for $1.4 million, an amount that today would be worth over $1 billion. The land was not merely a private investment but intended to be donated to the federal government for eventual inclusion in a protected national park landscape.
However, the true purpose of the acquisition was revealed to the public in 1930, causing a significant amount of distrust within the community and leading to several investigations, including a Senate inquiry in 1932. Ultimately, the Snake River Land Company was cleared of any wrongdoing, but the deception left a lasting legacy of mistrust in Jackson Hole, which impacted Rockefeller's philanthropic plans.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
