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"Grand
Tetons at Daybreak" depicts the majestic mountain range just after
dawn, looking southwest. French fur trappers first affectionately
referred to the pointed shape of the mountains as a grouping of 'grande
tétons'. The panoramic vantage point of this scene is from the environs
of the small village of Moran, Wyoming, overlooking the winding valley
of the Snake River's Buffalo Fork Branch. In 1930, a movie crew
shooting John Wayne's first epic western, "The Big Trail", filmed many
of the scenes in Moran and the Jackson Hole area with the grandeur of
the Tetons as the backdrop to the tale of westward expansion. At the
time they arrived, there were just a couple wooden sheds in place, so
the crew, including a 23-year-old John Wayne, set about constructing
several cabins and other buildings to serve as both a movie set and
lodging for the film workers and actors. Those buildings, some of which
are still standing, were the start of the town of Moran. Today, Moran,
Wyoming is one of the entry points for the Grand Teton National Park.
The Teton Range is one of the most scenic mountain chains in the
country, if not the world. "Grand Tetons at Daybreak" is faithfully
reproduced as an archival-quality print from McGehee's original artwork, each hand-signed by the artist.
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