Rawlins, County seat in Carbon County, Wyoming, United States.
Rawlins is the county seat of Carbon County in southern Wyoming, positioned along Interstate 80 at approximately 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) elevation. The city functions as a regional hub with lodging, dining, and a municipal airport serving the area.
The Union Pacific Railroad established the settlement in 1867, naming it after General John Aaron Rawlins who was in the region at that time. Railroad development transformed the location into a key transportation and supply point.
The Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum displays the state's correctional history through preserved cells, facilities, and personal artifacts spanning 1901 to 1981. Visitors walk through original spaces that reveal daily conditions and practices from that era.
The city is easily accessible via Interstate 80 and offers a range of lodging and dining options for travelers passing through. Plan visits during warmer months from May through September when roads are clear and weather is pleasant.
Red iron oxide pigment mined near the city was used in the original paint coating of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. This industrial connection links the town to one of America's most famous structures thousands of miles away.
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