Cheyenne, Laramie and Southern Wyoming Sights

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Fodor's Montana & Wyoming, 4th Edition

Wyoming Frontier Prison

Rawlins |
Jails

Wyoming Frontier Prison Review

Cold steel and concrete, the Death House, and the Yard are all part of the tour of the Wyoming Frontier Prison, which served as the state's penitentiary from 1901 until 1981. There are occasional midnight tours, and there's a Halloween tour.

Contact Information

Address: 500 W. Walnut St., Rawlins, WY | Map It
Phone: 307/324-4422
Cost: $6
Hours: Memorial Day-Labor Day, daily 8-5:30; Apr.-Memorial Day and Labor Day-Oct., call for limited hrs; rest of yr by appointment
Location: Rawlins

Member Reviews

WyoFrontierPrison, from Rawlins, Wyoming

5/1/09

The Wyoming Frontier Prison is the original state penitentiary, open from 1901-1981 (not to be confused with the Territorial Prison located in Laramie, East of Rawlins via I-80). After closing its’ doors as a correctional facility in 1981, it was reopened in 1988 as a museum, and boasts being listed on the national registry of historic places.
The current operations of the museum include guided tours usually 1 hour in length, during which visitors explore 80 years of colorful history, complete with stories of train robbers, escape attempts, solitary confinement, and demonstrations and explanations of the two execution methods used during the prison’s operation. For the most up-to-date information regarding tour costs and hours of operation, please call (307)324-4422 or visit the official website wyomingfrontierprison.org (currently under construction, but will be available May 4th,2009).

Sarah Trapp
Wyoming Frontier Prison Staff

Ratings details: Experience: 5 | Ease: 5 | Value: 5 | Don't Miss: 5