Wyoming’s Outlaws: Life in the Territorial Prison - Main Street, Wyoming

[@ninnghizhidda8654]

As late as 1977 there was a law still existing that stated (When a Prisoner had been released after serving his sentence he or she was to outfitted with a horse, a rifle,and a certain amount of money.) I don't remember how much money it was, but it was enouph to sustain a man, and his horse for 30 days. I lived in Wyoming back in 1976 - 1980, and I knew a man who had recently been released from the territorial prison in Rawlins, and he was in the process of filing a lawsuit demanding the State give him a horse, and a rifle with the equivalent of a months wages in the current year.

[@smokeyfalcon2210]

I’d go to jail just for that

[@fatsal4417]

That was me as soon as I got the rifle I held up a Bank.

[@christopherskipp1525]

Hopefully, he obtained the horse and money.

[@Harley04]

The presenters, commentators and content is excellent, thanks for sharing!

[@JawTooth]

I like historical videos like this. Nice job!

[@Lurker1979]

I am not even from Wyoming and I find this fascinating.

[@pacthegreatest]

I am not even American and I find this fascinating.

[@riverraisin1]

I've been dead for 20 years and I find this fascinating.

[@jiayangliu]

I’m not even human and I find this fascinating.

[@evelyng3889]

I loved going into the territorial prison loved visiting Butch casidys cell loved that place dont know why though lol im Scottish but loved living in Laramie

[@richardcicco6819]

Very informative. I love history and PBS shows such as this are perfect for enriching us all! Thank you!

[@Choochin]

I miss the 90's.

[@centuryboatfan]

Another great documentary from you!

[@rosstransmeier9792]

One reason horse thefts were punished severely, horses were transportation. Go twenty miles away from Laramie and be left a foot. You'll get the idea.

[@rogerwilson6861]

If you are stranded20 miles from any place in Wyoming, even today, you could be in real trouble.

[@spook283]

thanks for the great documentary

[@rogerwilson6861]

. I was very much impressed with the PBS presentation. Several decades past, I was presented with a sledge hammer head from the old prison. My uncle, who worked for the UPRR then, said he was on a break, just wandering around the old Ag Research grounds and found it half buried. The hammer head is completely mushroomed on both ends about 25% to 30%. Imagine the physical exertion required. I guess not being able to speak made it easier to do the work (nothing trivial to think of). Rehabilitation wasn't considered then. This was punishment. I wonder what the recidivism rate was.

[@stevewixom9311]

i'm guessing they had very few repeat offenders.

[@oldesthippie590]

The first couple minutes look just like the old jail in Helena Montana where I spent some time "A few times "

[@joshweickum]

Wyoming PBS rocks!

[@bctw9004]

We should have these laws in our prisons in 2019!!

[@E180TEKNO]

i love this old documentaire really

[@jetco6434]

I remember going through that prison in the 1970's when I was attending the University of Wyoming. There was a room with an electric chair in it. That was pure creepy! They removed it sometime later when they were renovating it. I don't know if anyone was ever executed there but it was ultra creepy just looking at that thing!

[@davegombash3116]

thanks for the words

[@joepalooka2145]

Haven't been to Wyoming Territorial Prison, but have toured the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. The original prison was built during the Civil War, and it's a real educational experience to be allowed to go through the cell block and see how prisoners were forced to live. Really terrible, and horrible to contemplate ever being confined in such an awful place. Frontier justice was brutal, no doubt about it.

[@kens6168]

Joe Palooka I have been there. Very interesting!

[@rogerwilson6861]

for the times it was about right

[@dustinhargrove2129]

Hard times, very cut & dry. Might just be what America needs!

[@randyrysdale852]

have you seen inside our prisons today? they are real shit boxes

[@jasong428]

Would you say it was generally as brutal as territorial crime? Or more so?

[@robertmclean9737]

Lived across the Street from the old Territorial Prison in its last days, was Interesting to say the least. This was in Rawlins. ☮️

[@glenfuller5712]

Actually Butch Cassidy was also in the state pen in Rawlins Wyoming I have been there on tour

[@SuperTomcatUk]

Home town!!

[@markyounger1240]

What did he mean when he said the railroad left by 1869. That was the year they first completed the transcontinental.

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

That’s what they meant. The construction was finished. All the infrastructure used whilst building it moved on. Left behind were the small towns along its tracks and the few workers that remained behind to work for the railroad.

[@randyrysdale852]

hell on wheels

[@jodysappington7008]

enjoyed

[@catman8670]

Shop lifting is a felony, if the value is $100. Or more in most places

[@wcstevens7]

Most non Americans get their info about the WILD WEST from television or the movies. It is good to get the real facts from documentaries such as this. Many thanks greetings from the Philippines.

[@mikejohnson479]

Great place to visit if passing through. Definitely worth the time. You are allowed to wander the prison on your own. As rough as it may have been in those days, prison then would be a better time for most than spending time in a modern prison with it's violence and sexual assault on weaker prisoners. Well made video.

[@E180TEKNO]

02:49 laramie city is: fort laramie I suppose? (I am French) so I ask because I am discovering the history of the USA in the period at the end of 1800 06:56 god! it's destroyed Why was a large majority of buildings in the USA during the late 1800s and 1800s, the buildings were almost all made of wood? There was plenty of stone available on site and the majority of the population was from the old European continent! Sweden France Germany Norway ...? Was their culture of co-construction at the base, the stone and cement? Why doesn't he reproduce his habitat style in the end? The risk has been demonstrated several times with the "San fransisco" "Deadwood" fires for the best known to my knowledge and many other small towns in the west I suppose?

[@payntpot7623]

Interesting docco. However, the use of 'flickering' on the modern sepia coloured film segments is not a good plan. It is potentially distressing to anyone suffering epilepsy, prone to headaches, or with eyesight difficulties. Very badly planned and executed from the cinematography aspect. It does not even replicate the original film flickers at all, which makes it completely redundant as well. Pity.

[@clvrswine]

Never, ever, use the word "docco".

[@onceANexile]

Poor Butch and Bob Meeks jumped from the 3rd Floor with syphilis....

[@jjameson3035]

Too many suggestions of support needed. Many of us Do Not have disposable income - Deal with it,,,

[@vernwallen4246]

13:49.Ibet the sheep were nervous!! lol.

[@vernwallen4246]

Horse theives back then got a"suspended sentence".Get it,a"suspended sentence".lol lol

[@stevefayers2408]

Ha ha ha -lololol.PMSROFL. Vern - not funny if you have to explain it

[@bushranger51]

And here I was thinking they'd be just hanging out.

[@DavidPigbody]

@@stevefayers2408 good thing he didn't explain it

[@rogerwilson6861]

Vern, you have a sick sense of humor.

[@MountainHobbler]

So kill a deputy and only get 2 years? Get out and stop being a criminal and all of sudden he is a hero?

[@rorytennes8576]

all the homeless people including homeless vets returning from war and they spend Millions to refurbish an old prison? Wow that really says a lot about our priorities here doesn't it?

[@dianebrady6784]

Just as much as we veterans watching the government giving illegal invaders every needful thing and hordes of cash(as these Congolese have been waving all about Portland Maine and Texas) while we veterans who fought to keep you all free get kicked to the curb....denied even basic dental or vision care...sent away to sleep on the very same streets we defended...denied benefits WE EARNED while illegal migrant invaders get rewarded with every needful thing...for breaking our nations laws. Thanks America.....we veterans really appreciate it.

[@chrisgreenwood1471]

This Is from 97

[@dkrausec]

i live in wyoming and i have seen what they had to do with my class at indian paintbrush elementry

[@nitetrane98]

Amazingly it took 5 minutes to get into the SJW stuff.

[@hankrogers8431]

That woman was literally smiling about putting people in cages.

[@dianebrady6784]

I smile too when I lock a crook Up in a cage. I know people are safer with this bad person behind bars. You must be one of those liberals that think criminals should be coddled, provided for at taxpayer expense and let to walk about the streets...free to continue their crime sprees.....so...if you lock your doors to your house at night your a real big hypocrite.

[@elissam.corsmeier469]

Me too!

[@learnerm3120]

Its not like they were model citizens

[@tommywilson4027]

PBS, can never get it right.

[@jerrysparks1308]

They need someone else to do the talking as she has a very bad whiney voice

[@gerardjones7881]

Sloppy presentation.

[@rick7368]

Wyoming is so boring.