Prison Museum
The prison was constructed in 1872, running as a Territorial Prison until 1890 when Wyoming became a state. In 1890, the facility was reorganized as the Wyoming State Penitentiary. For 30 years, the building held notorious outlaws like Butch Cassidy, Dan Parker, Clark “the Kid” Pelton, and Ellijah Canary. Over 1,000 men and 12 women of various nationalities, religious backgrounds and occupations passed through the iron grate doors.
Inmates were transferred to a new facility in Rawlins, Wyoming in the summer of 1903 and the old prison became a stock farm for the University of Wyoming. For the next 86 years the building housed different examples of the “wild west”, stock sheep and cattle.
The University of Wyoming ran the facility as an experimental farm until 1989 when a group of Laramie citizens rallied to have the building restored. After $5 million and a transfer of the property, the prison opened as a historic site in 1991.
In 2004, the management of the property was restructured under Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources.
Warden’s House
The Warden’s House was built in 1875 by prison labor. Initially constructed as a duplex, it housed both the warden, his family, and the guards until 1889. When the administrative section of the prison was added, the guards moved into the prison and the house was remodeled for single family use.
The Warden’s House was restored in 2007 and interior staging completed in 2009. Furnishings reflect the early 1890s period when James Marsh and his oldest children lived in the home. Research on the various wardens and their families is ongoing.
Horse Barn Exhibit Hall
The Horse Barn was constructed in 1910 by the University of Wyoming. True to its name, it housed horses for the stock farm. The building was remodeled in the early 1990s to make room for an exhibit hall, theater, and kitchen.
This year, our new permanent exhibit will be open to the public this collection will focus on the University of Wyoming Experiment Station (1903-1989) .Visitors will learn about the importance of agricultural experiments in the context of the state. Learn more about this exciting new exhibit here.
Box Car House
The Box Car House originated as a workshop inside the stockade. A leaky box car was purchased from the Union Pacific and set up inside the prison yard. By 1907, the University had converted the property to a stock farm and the need arose for employee housing. The box car was moved outside the stockade and remodeled to include a bedroom, living room, porch and kitchen.
Broom Factory
The Broom Factory ran at the Wyoming State Prison in Laramie from 1892 until 1902 when the equipment was moved to the new prison in Rawlins where it was used until the 1910s. During its hayday, the factory, run solely on prison labor, was producing 720 brooms a day. Brooms were shipped from Laramie to communities within Wyoming, Nebraska, California, Utah, Montana, Minnesota, South Dakota, Colorado and Idaho and internationally to Honolulu, Yokohama, Japan and Hong Kong.
The Broom Factory underwent intensive restoration in 2006-2009. Its grand re-opening was held May 2, 2009 and is open to the public 10 to 5, seven days a week. Interpreters greet visitors and those who have time can assist in the making of a broom on replicas of the original broom making equipment.
Church
Saint Mary’s of the Plains Episcopal Church opened its doors Easter Sunday, 1920. Originally located in Rock River, Wyoming, the small country church served as a school, community center, and worship place for many denominations before the town declined in size the 1980s.
It sat empty for many years before the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming donated it to the site in 2003. For the next two years, a group of hard working and dedicated volunteers lovingly restored the church. From making repairs in the roof and floor to tracking down artifacts and the stories of its members, the staff and volunteers have embraced their role as caretakers of St. Mary’s of the Plains. Re-dedicated on June 11th, 2005, the church is open for visitors of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds.
If you are interested in renting the church for a wedding or special event, please contact Lynette Nelson at 307-745-6161.
The history of ranching in the Cowboy State is a story all to itself. Romanticized by Hollywood, yet oftentimes, stark and full of daily drudgery, the westward bound pioneers carved out their living in meek and meager ways. The Homestead exhibit pays tribute to these pioneers through a display of historic buildings from the Chimney Rock Ranch in Albany County. You’ll see a furnished log cabin and a bunkhouse displayed as a schoolhouse, along with an outhouse, barn and livestock pens.