Wyoming Frontier Prison / State Penitentiary....Rawlins, Wyoming

DATE:  October 6, 2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Wyoming Frontier Prison

LOCATION:  500 W. Walnut St., Rawlins, Carbon Co., Wyoming  82301

MARKER #:  83003360

DEDICATED:  May 26, 1983

“The National Register of Historic Places   Wyoming Place No. 173

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: 

“The Wyoming State Penitentiary was constructed in different stages. The first construction occurred three years after statehood in 1893 following authorization by the Wyoming Territorial Legislature and laying of a cornerstone in 1888. The original cell block contained 104 cells for individuals, a concept based on the Auburn plan, which emphasized rehabilitating prisoners. While this state penitentiary was to replace territorial penitentiary in Laramie, construction was not complete until 1901.”

“From 1901 to 1911 private parties contracted with the state to operate the prison and hired out prison labor in the community. The Board of Charities and Reform, in 1911, assumed direct operation of the penitentiary and convicts worked on public projects including Wyoming’s first state highway system.”

“During 1914 and 1915 a reinforced concrete wall, 12” to 18” thick, replaced the wooden stockade formerly ringing the grounds. In 1916, a building was constructed to house a kitchen, dining room, bakery and chapel and, ironically, a hospital and death house.”

“Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 for its architectural and historical significance, the Wyoming State Pen’s buildings can be divided into three stylistic categories: Romanesque, Mission and Utilitarian. The Romanesque structures: the administration building, cell block A, laundry, guard quarters ~ powerhouse complex, and commissary – are constructed of locally quarried sandstone.”

“Inmates’ treatment changed as penal philosophies changed. National prison reform movements in the 1920’s and 1930’s, for example, led to emphasis on rehabilitation. Prisoners worked outside the walls on a prison farm or within the walls in a privately owned shirt factory. Prisoners also went to school. These opportunities disappeared during depression and WWII. Conditions deteriorated by the mid-1950’s and the prisoners rioted. The riot led to more reforms such work release and educational programs.”

“By the late 1970’s penologists deemed the aging facility unacceptable for housing prisoners. In 1981 the “old” Wyoming Pen closed and the prisoner’s transferred to a new facility south of town.”

From the Wyoming Tourism Office…“While outlaws roamed the windswept high plains, canyons and mountains of post-Civil War Wyoming, the Territorial Legislature was planning a state-of-the art penitentiary at Rawlins in anticipation of statehood. This new Wyoming State Penitentiary, which served from 1901 until 1981, would send a strong message to free-wheeling desperadoes: Wyoming would NO LONGER be a haven for the lawless.”

According to TripAdvisor, tours quit at the end of September. I ran into that with several places I wanted to go to. Once the chance of inclement weather rose, they closed down or severely limited access. So, while Dirk and I came by and walked around the outside, I had no idea of the size or history of the compound. Although today, civilization has encroached on 3 sides, when the Pen was built, it was on the far end of town with nothing very close. The 4^th side, the north, is a barren, rocky bluff.

This place has quite the history and is an example of how the U.S. viewed exactly what they expected prisons to do and be. In total, 15 men were executed here; 11 by hanging and 5 by lethal gas. In addition to the executed, there is purported to be 150+ other inmates who died while incarcerated from the harsh conditions or because of the brutality. 

 

With a history of such malevolence, it wasn’t surprising to read that the prison is considered haunted. An episode of “Ghost Adventures” was filmed here (full episode attached). Considered to be their “darkest haunt to date”, claims are they heard one disembodied voice and various thuds; saw 1 apparition and several “balls of light”; and 2 cases of physical contact. I can’t imagine being there at night and I’m sure my imagination would add fuel to whatever is there. No thank you!

1875…The territory of Wyoming establishes the Wyoming Penitentiary Commission. The purpose was to ascertain whether it was more cost effective to keep convicts in the territory or pay another territory or state to take them. It also required to keep complete records of prisoners convicted and confined in Wyoming Prisons.

1888…The territory approves $100,000.00 for building a state prison although only $30,000.00 was authorized for initial costs.

1890…Wyoming becomes a state.

1891…The Wyoming Penitentiary Commission was abolished and oversight of Wyoming’s institutions is handed over to the Board of Charities and Reform.

1893…The Legislature finally appropriates funds for construction. The design came from the same architects who designed Alcatraz in California. Construction starts and the cornerstone was laid. This prison was supposed to replace the older one in Laramie, Wyoming.

1901, December 12…The first group of 40 prisoners rode the Southern Pacific Railroad from Laramie to Rawlins with another 40 showing up the next day. They were met with a facility with no running water, no electricity and very inadequate heating. All cells at this point were for individuals and the typical cell was 5’ wide X 7’ long X 7’ high.

 

Although the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform were supposed to oversee the prison, it stayed with private contractors. (Side note: The Wyoming Dept. of Corrections was only created in 1991..until then, the Board of Charities and Reform handled all of Wyoming’s institutions)

The initial concept of reform was to break the spirit of the hardened criminal and force conformity. To that end, the prison had several things they used:

The “punishment pole”. Prisoners would be stripped, handcuffed and whipped with rubber hoses.

Solitary confinement cells where inmates were kept naked for up to 6 weeks at a time.

A pitch black hole they called the “Old Hole” where prisoners were kept naked with only a blanket and bucket. There’s a story that it was normal for a prisoner to be fed 2 times a day. One prisoner was fed several times a day and because he thought the days were passing quickly; he ended up going insane believing he was going to be left there. You have to remember…one, its dark so you can’t tell the passing of a day and two, “meals” consisted of small amounts of bread and water and so you would stay hungry.

1908…Annie Bruce, a minor, is convicted of killing her father with a poisoned plum pie. When asked why, she stated that she knew what she was doing but was unable to stop herself.

1909…The last woman was transferred out as the environment was considered too rough. There is reference to sexual abuse…no surprise.

Both women and children were incarcerated along with the general male population. Early on Wyoming had built a facility that allowed them to separate young inmates from adults so this move of the women completed the separation.

1911…“Restless” prisoners burned down the broom factory and 27 inmates escape. The State finally terminates the private contracts and assign direct oversight to the Board of Charities and Reform.

The first highway system in Wyoming is started with convict labor. Prior to this, the private contractors would hire out the convicts and for those who couldn’t be trusted, there was a shirt factory within the prison. 

1912…The State start executions at the prison. Used was the “Julien” gallows; considered a very humane method. The inventor believed no man should take another man’s life so a condemned prisoner would essentially hang himself. A large bucket of water was filled and the condemned would stand on a trap door that fell open once his body weight forced enough water out of counterbalance bucket. This took up to 2 minutes while the convict stood there wondering if the next drop was the last. Humane? Yeah, right. On top of that the drop wasn’t far enough to break a man’s neck so it was a slow death while he strangled. 9 men met their end with this method.

1914…The prison finally receives toilets and running water in the cells. It would be another 64 years before inmates got the luxury of hot water. That’s the 1970’s! 

1915…The penitentiary walls and guard towers were built. The walls were 12” to 18” thick. Prior to this there had been numerous escapes. The prisoners themselves had to build it therefore understanding first-hand how useless it was to try to escape.

1916…The ironically named “hospital / death house” located behind Cell block C was built. This building contained the hospital, death row and the gas chamber.

1922…The guard quarters were built and can be distinguished from other buildings by the battlements on the roof.

 

1920’s / 1930’s…These decades brought reform to the prison system. It was now considered that convicts should be “rehabilitated”. Night school was held and the men grew all veggies for the Pen. It was at this time the water tower was built to supply water for the gardens.

1936…The gas chamber was built. This is the only prison in the U.S. that allows visitors to sit in the gas chamber where 5 inmates were put to death. The tour guides say everyone seems to want to get their picture taken in the chamber and you can even be strapped down with the original straps used to hold the men down.

1941…The Dept. of Probation and Parole was developed. They supervised, and still do, both adult and youth offenders.

1942…The prison is awarded the “Navy E” award for their production of high quality wool blankets supplied to the men during WWII.

It was around the end of WWI when concern for rehabilitation fell. Every prison saw decreases in national and state funds. Recreational and educational programs were cancelled and prisons facilities started suffering badly.

1955, July 16…Eighty inmates stage a full scale riot in the dining area. Armed with kitchen knives, they take 3 guards hostage. A 4^th guard was injured when he broke away at the start of the riot. Tear gas was used but the lives of the guards were threatened. The Governor flew in to see if he could assist in quelling the riotous men. He asked for the release of one of the guards on the grounds that he was ill. His request was rejected. The warden heard the inmate’s demands…better food, improved medical care, better recreation facilities, and charges of illegal trading between guards and favored inmates. Treatment at the hands of two of the guards were also part of the negotiations. The warden promised if the riot ended, there would be no reprisals as long as he was warden.

1960…Finally, when cells built for individuals held 2 or 3 men, cell block B was built. The history of this prison includes being constantly overcrowded.

1969…Cell block C which contains maximum security cells, classrooms, a chapel and large gym is built.

1960’s / 1970’s…Increased spending on national and state level restored cancelled programs and also began a “pre-release orientation” program, honor program and work release policy. We’re back to “rehabbing” inmates.

1970’s…Tales of abuse and overcrowding finally made it to the State level. Stories of the “hole” and the use of thumbscrews and other torture made the state take a good hard look at the “old pen”. Hard to imagine this treatment could continue so far into the 20^th century.

1980’s…Structures built in the early 20^th century are considered unsafe and a prison is built south of the town of Rawlins to replace the old one. Funny, the Pen was built to replace the prison in Laramie but was overcrowded within a year of being built and Laramie was kept open.

1981…The prison is abandoned after remaining inmates are transferred. In the end, 13,500 inmates were incarcerated here in 80 years, including 11 women.