Old Wyoming State Penitentiary, Rawlins Wyoming.

This may seem like sort of an odd entry for this blog, but it really should come as no surprise.  The penitentiary is part of the judicial system, and therefore it has a place on a blog that's dedicated to judicial buildings.

This particular penitentiary is the old Wyoming State Penitentiary, the second penitentiary the state had. The first one was located in Laramie Wyoming in territorial days. That building is still there, and is used as a museum. When I went to the University of Wyoming, it was the sheep barn.

This one, the second penitentiary, is located in Rawlins Wyoming.  It's also a museum, as it has been replaced by a new, more modern, penitentiary also located near Rawlins.

I don't know if court was ever held inside the penitentiary.  I doubt it. But it does serve to remember that institutions like this are part of the judicial system.

Carbon County Courthouse, Rawlins Wyoming

This is the Carbon County Courthouse in Rawlins Wyoming.  This Depression era courthouse was built by the Works Project Administration, like the former courthouse in Casper, Wyoming.  It houses the Carbon County Court and also serves Wyoming's Second Judicial District together with the courthouse in Albany County.

This courthouse is unique for a classic Wyoming courthouse in that it sits on an entire city block in the center of town.  While not visible in these photos, due to the mature trees, the courthouse is also unique in that it was built with attached substantial living quarters which served the sheriff and his family at the time of its construction. The concept was that the sheriff would need to live there, as the jail was housed in the courthouse.