Excavation Site: Basement Entrance to the Warden's House

Excavation Site: Basement Entrance to the Warden's House. . In 1875, the inmates of the Wyoming Territorial Prison constructed a dwelling for the warden and guards. The dwelling, worth $3,000, consisted of six rooms - a kitchen, dining room, and four bedrooms. On July 3, 1877, Laramie's local newspaper, The Sentinel reported "the warden's dwelling, a building 16 x 22 feet with two wings, one 16 x 20 and the other, 16 x 24 feet, built of wood, with a substantial stone basement. The stone was quarried from the banks of the river on the site of the dwelling." , In June of 1883, the Laramie River (behind you) was swollen with rapidly melting snow and began to overflow, much to the dismay and surprise of Marshal Schnitger, who was living in the Warden's house. He complained the Laramie River was "sending its water into the basement of his elegant residence across the river." , In 1889, the Warden's residence needed repair. Among other things, plans drawn up by U.S. Marshal Thomas Jefferson Carr called for, "build(ing) an outside stair with handrail to the basement where old stairs (are) now; to be 1 2/3 10 stringers, 1 - 1/8 steps, 7/8 risers. All to be neat substantial job." , Sometime in the mid 1890s, the front entrance to the basement was closed. A doorway was cut inside the house and new stairs were constructed to allow residents access to the basement.