A Chester woman is leading an effort to restore the city’s most recognizable landmark.
Susan BusanBadgleyHineman tells The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register that the structure billed as the “World’s Largest Teapot” needs an estimated $15,000 for repairs and maintenance.
The 14-foot-tall teapot started off in the early 1900s as a giant wooden barrel used to advertise Hires Root Beer. Chester resident William Devon bought the barrel in 1938, added a tin, teapot-shaped exterior and hired teenagers to sell concessions and souvenirs from it.
Hineman says the teapot needs to be re-centered on its concrete pad and the handle needs to be removed and repaired. She says the interior wood and the window frames need to be replaced or repaired.