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Before Wyoming was granted statehood, prisoners were incarcerated at the territorial prison located in Laramie. This was by Act of Congress of January 24, 1873 and the territorial prison was completed December 23, 1873. It housed 67 prisoners in a formidable stone barn with gabled roof and heavily barred windows. The National Territorial Building Act of 1888 provided that a penitentiary building for the use of the territory shall be erected in the City of Rawlins at a cost not exceeding $100,000.00 Construction of this territorial prison was begun July 23, 1888 and was named The Wyoming State Penitentiary by the Act of Admission July 10, 1890. It is situated on 65.31 acres of land within the City of Rawlins, Carbon County. Great slabs of stone and rock, observed on the outside structure, were wagoned from the Larson Stone Quarry south of Rawlins. The first prisoner recorded into this institution was on July 16, 1891. Starting in December of 1901 prisoners were transferred from Laramie to Rawlins and this transfer was completed in 1904. Of all prisoners incarcerated in this institution, probably the most publicized was Bill Carlisle the great train robber. The total capacity of inmates that could be incarcerated was 373. |
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