Pardon Us, Please??

When Matt and Sherry agree to join me here in Laramie, I am not sure Sherry expects the trouble she will experience trying to keep Matt out of a Wyoming Prison. First Matt is sentenced to hard labor making brooms here in Laramie. Next he finds himself behind bars in the Wyoming State Pen in Rawlins, WY.

A Tale of Two Prisons

In an area surrounded by panoramic visual delights, we naturally decide to spend an afternoon touring another Prison Museum. Built in 1872, the Territorial Prison where I volunteer has been totally restored. The fresh paint and spotless flagstone floors are almost pristine. In fact except for the spooky, creaking windblown doors and bass moaning of the wood floors, it is actually very pleasant inside.

The gloomy State Penitentiary in Rawlins does not fare so well over the years. Peeling paint blisters and dark, forbidding cells reek of evil and suffering. Our guide enthralls us with her prison tales, but the building itself is an extremely dreary place. Judge for yourself from the pictures below. Would you want to be locked up here?

These were the first cells opened and on the sunny side of the building.

Newer cells - guards opened the windows with a crank that works whole sections simultaneously.

Not where I want to spend my free time. Prison designers learn not to use porcelain fixtures after this cellblock opened. Prisoners broke off sharp pieces and used for weapons.

One of the prisoners painted these scenes on the walls. In the painting on the left, the goats eyes follow you as you walk around the room - freaky!

The "Yard" - the guards shot prisoners who crossed certain painted lines on the walls.

At least Matt avoids the fate of this gas chamber.

Finally we return home to our peaceful river in Laramie.

In Loving Memory

Stormy Weathers

About the Author

About Sunny Weathers

Pilot, motorcyclist and full time RVer. Follow me as I travel all over the US in my Country Coach RV volunteering, making new friends and pursuing a constant outdoor temperature between 70F and 80F. I'll share the fun and the tribulations and any great survival tricks I learn!

8 Replies to “Pardon Us, Please??”

jim Sandy dukeman says: Reply

June 16, 2020 at 7:24 pm

WOW what a place, nice to visit but sure would not want to have to live there. You can find some of the best places to volunteer. Almost makes us want to join you sometime. Thanks for keeping us in the loop and keep em coming. GOD BLESS
JD/SD
Jim & Sandy

Sunny Weathers says: Reply
June 17, 2020 at 8:32 pm

You would like it here. Yesterday we visited a Historic Peacekeeper missile site and I thought of you during our visit. You and Sandy take care!

Rudy says: Reply

June 17, 2020 at 5:54 am

Laramie … Just the name brings memories of bad cowboys and crooked guards. But then again, it also brings memories of the Tower of London. Now the latter has a bit more dark history.
And one more, you can not get there from from there unless you put pontoons on the RV.

Sunny Weathers says: Reply
June 17, 2020 at 8:30 pm

I don’t know about pontoons, but if I add a sail to the RV I bet I would get great fuel mileage. Winds here are fierce and rarely calm down. Sot of like being in a big boat with the way the RV rocks back and forth on the windy waves!