Wyoming Carbon County Rawlins Wyoming

Carbon County owes much of its early history to the Union Pacific
Railroad. The railroad gave names to unnamed places as it laid tracks
westward over the Rocky Mountains that would eventually become
the Trans-Continental Railroad. Well ahead of those tracks were
Army surveyors laying out the route and marking the waterholes
the great steam-locomotives would need to fill their empty tanks.

Elevation: 6,755
Population: 9,006

When General Grenville Dodge’s crew discovered a
clear alkali-free spring, General John A. Rawlins made
the comment, “If anything is ever named after me,
I hope it will be a spring of water.” Shortly after that
Dodge named this tiny oasis Rawlins Springs. In time,
that oasis became a division point for the railroad, and
the division point eventually became a town.
Somewhere along the way, the town of Rawlins Springs
became simply Rawlins.

In 1886, while Wyoming was still a territory, the legislature voted to construct a Territorial
Prison and chose a site outside of Rawlins. Poor funding slowed construction, and the prison
did not accept its first prisoner until thirteen years later. By that time, not only had Rawlins
grown to completely surround the prison, Wyoming had also become a state.

This oppressive, medieval-looking, stone building was Wyoming’s only state prison for eighty
years until a new, more modern, facility was built outside of Rawlins. The “Old Frontier
Prison”, as it is best known, was closed in 1981. Today the “Old Pen” houses not only the
Frontier Prison Museum, but also the Wyoming Peace Officers’ Museum, bringing the stories
of Wyoming’s best and worst together in one place. The prison is open for tours during the
summer months and it also hosts a special, reservation only, Halloween Night tour
(not recommended for children).

Another site to see in Rawlins is the Carbon County Museum, which offers a more overall look
at the people and places of the county’s past. The museum is located in the Old Mormon
Church, and has artifacts on display from as far back as the early Spanish explorers who visited
the area 400 years ago. By far the biggest site to see around Rawlins is known simply as
The Uplift. Not so simply known as a thrust-faulted anticline, this unique rock-feature is a
textbook example of stratigraphy, exposing the fossilized remains of countless species of
prehistoric plants and animals, as well as some very unique geology.

Golfers be sure to visit the Rochelle Ranch Public Golf Course. It opened in 2004 and offers
18 holes and a modern clubhouse. Rawlins, which is the county seat, lies on Interstate 80
and offers visitors a wide variety of restaurants and lodging.

IMPORTANT RAWLINS, WY LINKS:

Rawlins Daily Times
Carbon County Museum
Rawlins Chamber of Commerce
City of Rawlins
Carbon County Government

Distinctive dining in Victorian Elegance. Nestled in the historic downtown of Rawlins is The Aspen House Restaurant, an intimate, fine dining establishment built in 1905 More Info Click on the categories to see full listings Fine Dining (Aspen House Shown Above) Casual Dining Italian Food Asian Cuisine Mexican Food Fast Food		All My Love Flowers & Gifts Flowers & Gifts 411 W Cedar Artistry in Glass Stained Glass Art & Ceramics 213 2nd Art Floral & Gifts Flowers, Balloons &Formal Wear 1409 W Spruce BiRite Gifts Chocolate, Cards, Purfume 300 3rd Street City Market Grocery, Photo Developing, Pharmacy 1409 W Spruce Davidson Gun & Grocery Hunting & Fishing Supplies / Liscences 729 W David Graphic Sports Sporting Equipment & Shoes 405 W Cedar Old Pen Gift Shoppe Wyoming History Books, Post Cards. 500 W Walnut Windy Corner Unique Gifts 310 W Cedar		HISTORIC FERRIS MANSION This impressive Queen Anne style Victorian mansion was built in Rawlins near the turn of the century and served as the home of Julia Ferris, widow of early mining pioneer, George Ferris. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Quick Fact

RAWLINS UPLIFT
This unique geological formation displays a wide array of geological features within a
compact area. Located within a four to five mile radius of Rawlins, the uplift displays exposures
of formations ranging from the Archean Era (2600 M) to the Tertiary and Quaternary Periods.

Highlights Lodging Galley Events Rawlins

Vacations in Wyoming

Justin Carbon

"How many places do
you know that have
their very own color?
Named for the red
iron oxide mined
just outside of the
city that gives the color
its pigment, Rawlins
Red was the original
color chosen when
plans for the Brooklyn
Bridge were approved
in 1869."