Yuma Territorial Prison is living proof that there really was a wild West. More than 3,000 culprits, convicted of crimes ranging from polygamy to murder, lived in rock and adobe cells during the prison's 33-year life. Still standing are the cells, main gate, and guard tower that give visitors a glimse of convict life a century ago. A museum details the prison's development and tells stories of the desperados, including 29 women, who did time there. For visitors' convenience, picnic tables and a ramada are provided. Nearby, Yuma Crossing State Historic Park is one of the Southwest's richest historical sites. Paytans, Native Americans, Spanish explorers, mountain men, gold-seeking emigrants, soldiers, muleskinners, railroad engineers, steamboat captains and shipping magnates met at this single junction over the centuries.
