The prison was built in 1872 as a federal prison. It was transferred to the state in 1890 and operated until 1901 when a new prison was built in Rawlings. The buildings and land were then turned over to the University of Wyoming to be used as a research center for breeding stock and raising crops in a harsh environment. The research center was moved to another location in 1989 and in 2005 the property became part of the Wyoming state park system.
The prison has been completely restored to looked as it did in 1800s with small cell blocks plus all of the necessary supporting areas such as a kitchen, dining hall, bathrooms, laundry room, and offices. All the rooms are furnished with period pieces. Each room has interpretive signs. There are also large mug shots of prisoners with a short descriptions of their crimes and sentences.
The prison’s most famous (or infamous) prisoner was Butch Cassidy who spent a couple of years in the prison for cattle rustling. A room has been dedicated to Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. It’s left up to you to decide if Cassidy was a common criminal or a Robin Hood type, only stealing from the large ranchers and bankers who were running roughshod over the small land owners.
The site also includes the warden’s house, the broom factory, a few buildings from the University time with exhibits, a row of buildings depicting a frontier town which aren’t being used for anything, three historic buildings that were relocated to the site, and a nature trail.
The prison is completely accessible. Paved paths lead to the warden’s house, the broom factory, and the horse barn. The rest of the property has rough gravel paths and lumpy ground and may be accessible with assistance.
The parking lot is large enough for RVs. There’s a dump station and fresh water – donations requested. Prison 41.31026, -105.61032
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