RAWLINGS WYOMING

We literally blew into Rawlings and stayed at RV World Campground.  Its located right off interstate 80 and easy to get to.  We had some great neighbors, Elwin and Vikki Dillon, who had the spot right next door. They had a problem with their 5th wheel, the wind caught the under side and blew the undercover off.  Elwin and I worked on putting a cover back on their unit.  It was nice to have something to do and Elwin and I did some outstanding work.

Our first adventure was a trip up to Martin's Cove, Devil's Gate and Independence Rock.  Martin's Cove and Devil's Gate are at the same stop.  When we arrived, the first thing that I noticed was the visitor's center is manned by members of the Church of Latter Day Saints.  They were very friendly and knowledgeable about the entire story of what happen at Martin's Cove.  We were told by the woman at the visitor center that handcarts were used because most people could not afford to purchase covered wagon.  Each person could place 17 pounds of goods on a cart and then you and your family pulled it along.

In November 1856, about 500 Mormon emigrants in the Martin Handcart Company were halted for five days in the Cove by snow and cold while on their way to Salt Lake City.  The Martin Handcart company had begun its journey on July 28, 1856 which was dangerously late in the season and would ultimately lead to the disaster.  Although the number who died in the Cove is unknown, more than 145 members of the Martin Company died before reaching Salt Lake City.  A few days prior to their arrival at Martin's Cove, the company was met by a small rescue party with food, supplies and wagons that LDS Church President Brigham Young had sent from Salt Lake City, Utah.  On November 4 the company and rescuers forded the bitterly cold Sweetwater River and sought shelter in the cove.  That evening a powerful north wind blew the tents to the ground.  The tents were set up again, but a blizzard brought heavy snow.  The company remained in the camp for five days, unable to proceed due to the snow and cold.  After five days the weather warmed and they were able to move on toward Utah.  With the assistance from the original rescue party and from additional rescue parties that met then along the way the survivors finally reached Salt Lake City on November 30.

Devil's Gate Wyoming is a natural rock formation, a gorge on the Sweetwater River a few miles southwest of Independence Rock. The site, significant in the history of western pioneers. was a major landmark on the Mormon Trail and the Oregon Trail although the actual routes of travel did not pass through the very narrow gorge. 

  

We traveled on to Independence Rock, which would have taken the pioneers at least a day to get to.  Independence Rock is a large granite rock, approximately 130 feet high.  During the middle of the 19th century, the rock was a prominent and well-known landmark on the Oregon, Mormon and California emigrant trails.  It was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 20, 1961.  It appears that a lot of the signatures are fading away.  I don't think that there is anything anyone can do about it, its something everyone should see.

The Old Wyoming State Penitentiary, in use from 1901 - 1981, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers hour-long guided tours that take visitors through three cell blocks, the cafeteria, the grounds and the Death House.  This prison housed over 13,500 inmates, often under brutal conditions, over the 80 year operation of Wyoming's first state penitentiary.

Linda and I toured the prison and the young girl that gave the tour talked about the brutal conditions the prisoners where forced to endure.  The prison opened in 1901 and had no electricity, running water and inadequate heating. 

I would like to visit the prison around Halloween.  They have about 60 people that work the "haunted prison", i guess its really scary!

On one of our adventures we drove out to where the Continental Divide Trail runs by Rawlins.  It was a bit confusing, finding the trail, but we did find a new born antelope.  Momma Antelope placed her baby by a big rock and tried to  lead us away.  We took a few pictures but were careful not to get to close