Echoes from the Wyoming State Penitentiary: North Facility 1981-2001

Opened in 1981, the Wyoming State Penitentiary's "North Facility" saw thousands of inmates pass through it until it was abandoned in 2001. Today, the site still bears witness to those who were housed there. This is the story of Wyoming's only maximum security prison.

Produced by the Wyoming Department of Corrections and the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.

Copyright © 2019 Wyoming Department of Corrections. All rights reserved.

[edbrown]

My dad is in this video and has since passed away.i appreciate this video more than you know

[helencg]

I worked at the Wyoming State Penitentiary from 1980 to 1986 as a case manger, counselor, and classification officer. I was at the downtown pen when we moved the inmates to this facility. This facility was doomed before any inmates arrived. Both Duane Shillinger and Jim Ferguson were honest, compassionate men who I am proud to to say were my bosses.

[WyCowgirl]

I worked with Warden Duane before this prison was abandoned. He is truly one of the BEST MEN I've EVER known! I hope to find him and his wonderful wife too someday soon. They don't make them like Duane anymore. Thanks and God bless you, Duane. ♡

[MontgomeryMall]

Both the north and successor south facility had the misfortune on being placed in a location with unstable geology. Both buildings have been torn apart gradually by shifting grounds.

[SuzukiYNathie]

Mark Hopkinson (the inmate executed) was pure evil. Ordered the murder of an entire family and then the torture and murder of a gov't witness. This was an excellent video. Thank you for posting.

[gregcoleman]

I was at WSP Rawlins from 1985 to 1999. I gave my life to Jesus Christ while in prison. Funny how that works, I had to go to prison to be set free. I am still following Jesus to this day, 5/6/23.
I did almost all of my time on the Max unit. I worked in the print shop and worked my way up from janitor to assistant leadman. Harvey Hansen was the free man that ran the print shop. I remember several of the guys in this video. I was good friends with Shane Hill. We were on the same block. I do remember them well.
My second counselor was Barbara France. She was one of the ladies taken hostage when those two idiots flipped out. She quit a little time after that and then I had Jack Batts. After Batts, I had Ken Kennedy as a counselor. I went to CAC. Didn't last three months as I couldn't stand the games they played on you. So, I literally asked to go back to WSP. I only had two years left to max my number and there were fewer games at WSP. Went back to WSP went to Medium and maxed my number and got out with no paper. I did 15 years there. I have been out for 24 years, got married, and my wife passed last year from covid after 20 years of wonderful marriage. I look forward to seeing her in heaven.

[flstffatboy]

Wow I’ve never seen a prison documentary like this one ☝️ just a good group of men on both sides

[rugfkyy]

Im from Gillette, i graduated in 2000. That Senior year i took a Justice class. We toured that Prison and we sat as a class and interviewed 3 murderers. One of them was a dude who was in there since he was 15. I believe he was the youngest person ever incarcerated in Wyoming to the Frontier Prison in Rawlings and then this one. The 15 year old killed to elderly people north of Cheyenne as they were helping him on the side of the road. The 2nd guy was a former cop or sheriff that killed his landlord when he was drunk. The 3rd guy was a real strange dude. He broke into this 60 something ladies house when he was in his 20s. Rapped her by choking her w a vacuum cleaner cord. Then robbed her place. He had no remorse. He just loved talking about it to the class. It was crazy. Ill never forget it.

[MontgomeryMall]

I am surprised they don't really discuss the reasons why the North Unit was decommissioned. It was built in an area where the geology was really bad for the foundation. It started to tear the prison walls apart.

[tompeyton]

I was an officer at this prison for over eleven years and I worked every post there. I remember some of those inmates.

[petebass]

I tied hooks for Mark Farnham, tied flies, worked in the Garment Shop, and was the editor for the prison newspaper while working for Harvey Hansen at the Print Shop.

[texast]

Warden cried bc we Wyoming ppl are good hearted. We treat ppl like we wanna be treated . Still shake on a deal. Hard to find nowdays 🙏

[un-awarercare]

wow when the warden started crying about the execution's i couldn't stop crying myself what a compassionate man wow i did 9 years in the pen in canada and i can not say i ever met a guard or c[o act so human

[BigBikeEnergy]

I recognize these guys. Long time. A lifetime ago. Brings back memories. When I got there in 2002 it was a complete different atmosphere then what it was when I left 2010. I remember on weekend brunches you could have as much as you wanted. 10 eggs 6 pancakes whatever. As long as you ate it all. #21411

[nusarachuekhunthot]

Just not quite the way it was. The old joint had everyone together. The new one had max. med. and minimum separated. I never experienced this holding hands stuff. Medium was tough also. Vale, special mention goes to: Jim (shooz) Schuler, Louis (coco) Cosco, Danny Peck, Leroy Romo, George Kulund, Lynn Denui, Bob Jones, Joe (pineapple joe) Eaton, Jack Rich, Chuck Gentner, Micheal Hayes. It was a pleasure to be with you.

[-.-.-.-.-.---.----....-_-]

i could never be a warden id have too much empathy

[alanmeyers]

Almost sounds like there might have been some rehabilitation going on, but now it’s prisons for profit, can’t have any rehabilitation, it’s not profitable, how sad.

[creativesanctuary]

So I just looked up what caused this prison to be shut down here in Wyoming and it was ground water was causing it to slowly sink so basically it became unsafe.

[timmuller]

20 years doesn't seem like a long time for a new prison.

[darcyasher]

The men shown in these videos should be released, no matter what they did. They’ve done their time, they’re no longer a threat. We are not such a vindictive people.