Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
Unit Guide for Grades 4 – 6
A Teacher’s Note …………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Goals & Mission ……………………………………………………………………………………… 3
History of the Prison ……………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Unit Ideas ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
Pre-Visit Activities ………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Planning a Field Trip ………………………………………………………………………………. 7
Prison Rules …………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Prison Vocabulary ………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Post Visit Lessons ………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Social Studies, Recipes, Language Arts, Math, Science, Art and Music
Time Concepts ………………………………………………………………………………………. 20
Prison Quiz …………………………………………………………………………………………… 21
Prison Quiz Answers ……………………………………………………………………………… 22
Prison Exam ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23
Prison Exam Answers …………………………………………………………………………….. 25
Prison Test ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 26
Prison Test Answers ………………………………………………………………………………. 27
A Teacher’s Note
Welcome to the Wyoming Territorial Prison!
In this packet, there are numerous preparation activities you can incorporate into your lesson plans to prepare your students for a visit to the Wyoming Territorial Prison. The packet will help you and your students understand the story of the prison and its place in Wyoming’s history. It includes a brief history of the site, pre and post visit lessons, several quiz and exam assessments, references corresponding to packets we can provide using hands-on materials, unit ideas and extensions.
Guided tours are available Monday through Friday, Nov. – April between 8 and 5 and May through Oct. 9 to 6. Please call for reservations at least two weeks in advance. If you are unable to make an onsite visit, please note you can borrow a discovery kit with hands-on replicas for use in the classroom.
Feel free to pick and choose from these ideas, as using all are not necessary. We are here to help, please contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions you might have about the historic site or lesson plans.
Lynnette Nelson, Visitor Services
Teresa Sherwood, Curator/Historian
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
975 Snowy Range Road
Laramie, WY 82070
307-745-6161
Goals and Mission
The Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site exists to share its resources with the public through preservation of its historic structures and artifacts, presentation of captivating educational programs & exhibits, all which illustrate the rich history of the Wyoming Territorial Prison, Wyoming’s agriculture industry, and Wyoming’s expansion from a territory to statehood as illustrated by the development of the community of Laramie.
v To provide a general overview of the Wyoming Territorial Prison and its place in Wyoming’s history.
v To encourage a consideration of the law as it functioned in the West during the late nineteenth century.
v Provide a basis of comparison with law enforcement today.
v To help fourth, fifth and sixth grade students experience various aspects of the Wyoming Territorial Prison with a deeper understanding and appreciation.
v To help students understand time, change and continuity throughout the decades.
v To strengthen knowledge about everyday life in Wyoming during the late 19th century.
v To help students experience history by using hands-on artifacts and reliving the past as it would have been when the prison was in operation (1872-1903).
History of the Prison
The Wyoming Territorial Prison was built in 1872, with prisoners first incarcerated on January 13, 1873. The idea for the prison arose in 1869 when U. S. Marshal Church Howe complained to Washington of the increasing number of criminals in the Wyoming Territory. Soon after, the Legislature responded, passing an act in December 1896 to build a facility in Laramie City.
In 1870 Wyoming received funds totaling $31,450 to build the prison. A contract was signed on April 3, 1872 and by October of that year, the prison was constructed.
Once open, disagreements were brought forth on how the prisoners were to be treated. Authorities in the 1890s believed inmates would benefit from learning a trade, thus leaving prison with the ability to make an honest living on the outside. The Auburn system of labor and reform was adopted and the inmates worked 10 hour days, 6 days a week on various trades. The more successful industries included a broom factory and intricate hand carved furniture. Convicts also removed wood from the Laramie River, cut and stored ice, laid bricks, repaired shoes, made candles, planted gardens, raised livestock, made bread, rolled cigars, designed jewelry, painted portraits, took up horse hair braiding and experimented with taxidermy.
By 1901 the Wyoming State Penitentiary at Laramie was overcrowded. In 1903, the prisoners were transferred by railroad to a new facility in Rawlins, WY. When all the prisoners had been removed, the University of Wyoming converted the prison and the surrounding grounds into an experimental stock farm. The University ran the property as such until 1987 when they moved to a new location just outside of town.
Between 1873 and 1903, men and women of all ages, nationalities, and races as well as a handful of “infamous” outlaws (including Butch Cassidy) passed through the penitentiary. Because of its historical significance, the Wyoming Legislature declared the site a State Park in 1990 and, at the cost of 5 million, the prison was restored to its original appearance. Today the prison and surrounding property is run by the State as a Historic Site under the division of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources.
Unit Ideas
Architectural Styles from 1872 – 1902
End-of-Track Towns of the Union Pacific
How the Railroad came to Wyoming (or Laramie, specifically)
v What the railroad has given Wyoming (and Laramie)
v How the railroad affected Wyoming (and Laramie)
v Terminology – Then vs. Now
v Routes (including today’s new roadways and signs)
Specific Prisoners (In relation to the students, or just a random prisoner they choose)
v Find prisoners who might have been related to a student
v Prisoners they have heard about in the past and want to know more about
Women prisoners’ journey in the Wyoming Territorial Prison
v Their daily schedule and chores/tasks they performed
v What they wore
v How they differed from men in prison
Women’s historical clothing of the 1880’s
v How clothing has changed
v What costumes were used for
v Pictures comparing now vs. then
v What clothing use to represent
Prisoners who escaped
A great reference to use for the history of the prison and its prisoners is:
Atlas of Wyoming Outlaws at the Territorial Penitentiary by Elnora Frye
ISBN # 0-936204-91-5
Available in most public libraries and at the Prison’s gift shop.
Pre-Visit Activities
v Have the students make a list of the chores they think the prisoners might have been made to do.
v Using various maps, have the students locate both Laramie and the Wyoming Territorial Prison in absolute and relative terms. If your class is from Laramie, pull out a bigger version of the Laramie map and help the children with descriptions of which roads to take.
v Write a description of the route your students will take to get to the Wyoming Territorial Prison. Your routes might include highway use, street names, buildings nearby, etc.
v Locate on a United States map the various states and cities where the inmates were from or captured at. (Reference Atlas of Wyoming Outlaws at the Territorial Penitentiary by Elnora Frye).
v Have students research the type of flowers brought west. Some flowers include yellow roses and rhubarb. Have students spot these flowers throughout the prison when they take the tour.
v Read children’s literature on Wyoming, the Territorial Prison, and/or other prisons.
v Read articles from the Laramie Sentinel and Laramie Boomerang to gain perspective about the time the prison was open (1873-1903).
v Discuss appropriate clothing and hairstyles for the late 1800’s using photographs and group discussion.
v Have the students draw in detail what they think the prison cells will look like.
v Have students do a think, pair, share activity on what prisoner’s rules were and how it affected their lifestyle.
v Have the students draw and label what Laramie looked like in the 1800’s. They can either work alone, in partners, or in groups to gain more ideas.
v Research some popular activities people participated in during the late 1800’s. I.E. Vintage baseball.
v Research Butch Cassidy and write a report on him and/or other Wyoming outlaws.
v Have the students journal what they think it would be like to be an outlaw, get caught and sent to the Territorial Prison.
v Create a K, W, L chart and write out what the kids already know and what they want to learn about the prison.
v Use brochures and web pages to construct a bulletin board or poster that shows the children what they will see at the prison.
Planning a Field Trip
Hello! We look forward to seeing your group at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. Tours are FREE for educational groups associated with a school or university. Home school groups are always welcome! We look forward to customizing tours to meet your needs.
If you haven’t already, please fill out the reservation form to request or confirm a school tour and fax it to us at: 307-745-8620. If you have questions about our programs, please contact us at: 307- 745-6161.
The following activities are available during your visit:
v A tour of the prison – 1 hour
v A tour of the newly restored Warden’s House – 20 min.
v A tour of the exhibit hall & interactive scavenger hunt – 30 min.
v A tour of the newly restored Broom Factory – 30 min.
v A session with the hands-on discovery kit – 20 min.
On your reservation form, please indicate which activities your group is interested in.
Date of Visit: / Number in Group:Arrive/Departure Time: / Age/Grade of Students;
Name of Group: / What the Group Wants to See:
Person in Charge: / __ Prison
Mailing Address: / __ Warden’s House
City, State, Zip: / __ Exhibit hall
Phone Number: / __ Broom Factory
Email: / __ Discovery/Hands-On kit
I, the undersigned agree to be responsible for the group and hold the State of Wyoming, its employees and volunteers, harmless from and against any liability from damage to life or property directly arising from the actions of any and all participants of the group during their visit.
Signature Date
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
School Tour Requested On: (Date)
Date of School Tour/Visit:
Follow up all/Confirm visit with group on:
Employee/Volunteer(s) to Conduct Tour:
Note any special items/requests for tour:
TEACHERS & CHAPERONES:
To ensure a safe and memorable visit for your group, please keep the following in mind:
· We request that one adult accompany every ten students.
· Name tags for students and chaperones are required.
· We have an outdoor picnic area but no indoor eating facilities. If it rains, we recommend students eat on the bus.
· If the students wish to make purchases in the gift shop, we ask that only ten come in at a time.
· School tours are FREE for students, teachers and chaperones. Anyone outside this group wishing to take the tour must pay the appropriate fee: $5 for adults, $2.50 for 12 - 17, 11 & under are free.
While in Laramie, consider also visiting the following museums:
· Laramie Plains Museum, 307-742-4448
· UW Anthropology Museum, 307-766-5136
· UW Art Museum, 307-766-6622
· UW Geology Museum, 307-766-2646
· WY Children's Museum & Nature Center, 307-745-6332
The Wyoming Territorial Prison is located off I-80, exit 311. If you have any questions or need additional directions, please contact us.
Prison Rules
1. You will not be allowed to converse with each other on any subject whatever. Conversation is allowed only when you work out of doors and then, only in relation to the work you are performing.
2. You will not hold any conversation with visitors unless they are accompanied by either the Warden or one of the Guards, and not then without permission.
3. You will be required to keep your cell clean and in perfect order, and each morning, immediately after rising, fold your bedding and place it on the head of your bed.
4. You will air and dust your bedding twice per week and at such times as you are ordered to do so, and will keep your bedding in perfect repair.
5. You will be permitted to smoke or chew in your cell as long as you do not deface the floor or walls. Each cell will be provided with a spitbox, which you must clean every day.
6. When you are permitted to exercise outside your cell, you will in no case step beyond the width of the cell door. If you have any request to make, you will remain within the limited space until you have an opportunity to make the request.
7. At meal hours, you will be ordered by the guard to step from your cell and, when the command is given, march around the table in single file taking the dishes numbered to correspond with your cell number and then return to your cell in the same order.
8. You will be allowed to write one letter per month and to receive letters every Sunday. All mail to and from you must pass through the hands of the Warden.
9. Reading matter will be furnished by application to the Warden and must be returned in good condition.
10. You will change your underclothing every Sunday and wash them at such times as you may be ordered. No excuse will be taken for not keeping yourself clean and in health condition.
11. The hours for arising weekday mornings is 5:30 prompt and Sunday mornings 7:00.
12. In case of sickness, report to the Guard at once.
13. You will be expected to understand the above rules. Any point not understood will be explained. Any deviation from these rules will meet with punishment. Good behavior is to your interest as a record is kept of good and bad behavior.
The above rules were modeled after the “Auburn system” which focused on convict labor and reform. Convicts were forced to contribute to the well being of the prison through industrious labor and hard work. Rather than being confined to their cells day in and day out, the Auburn system aimed to reform criminals with hard work and enforced virtuous behavior.
Prison Vocabulary