I meant to post about this long ago, but the fall has been awfully busy! So here are some photos of and some tidbits of information about the Wyoming Territorial Prison, built in Laramie in 1872 and closed in 1903. Mike volunteered there this fall and I checked out the site on Labor Day.
First, here's Michael in his prison stripes behind bars.
What Michael actually did as a volunteer was make brooms in the broom factory pictured below. Work was part of the rehabilitation process for inmates at the prison, and the prison operated a broom factory for several years, where the inmates worked every day.
Butch Cassidy was one of the most famous inmates who spent time at the Wyoming Territorial Prison. Here's his mugshot, taken in 1894 when he was imprisoned for 18 months for stealing horses. He got off early when he promised the governor he'd stay out of Wyoming.
Below is a photo of the prison chapel, where the first female chaplain in the U.S. prison system, Dr. May Preston Slosson, held weekly services. (Wyoming is the Equality State!) This room was also used for lectures by professors from University of Wyoming, who came to improve prisoners' minds.
Here's a photo of the outside of the prison.
Wyoming is a really interesting place with an interesting history. There's a gallery in the horse barn (not pictured) with a fascinating exhibit on the first women who served on a jury in the U.S., which happened in Wyoming in 1870. There's also a women's gallery in the prison, with brief histories of the female criminals who served time in the Territorial Prison. It's a great place for women's history.
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