Photograph by Sarah McCosham
Whether you live in Ohio or not, you’re probably familiar with The Ohio State Reformatory. Not only did this former reformatory play a key role in The Shawshank Redemption, but it’s also considered one of the most haunted places in the U.S.
The Ohio State Reformatory is located a couple of hours from Cincinnati, in Mansfield, and until recently, I’d never visited this real-life haunted house. That changed on a recent Sunday afternoon; an early fall day with robin’s egg skies and a slight breeze that would cause any locals to proclaim fall is in the air!
Mansfield has become synonymous with the reformatory and its award-winning film; many refer to the prison as the Mansfield Reformatory, in fact. This prison closed in 1990 and during its 100+ year tenure, 154,000 inmates called it home. Among its many claims to fame, the reformatory is home to the world’s tallest freestanding steel cell block, which features six tiers, 12 ranges, and 600 cells.
Despite its impressive size, the Ohio State Reformatory was always, it seems, short on space. The reformatory was especially overcrowded in the 1920s during Prohibition—and space became even more sparse during the Great Depression. The average annual population in 1934 was 3,500 men; the prison was originally built to house a maximum of 2,000 inmates. Fitting so many men in a single area created a pressure cooker kind of situation, fueling tensions and sparking fights that ultimately led to numerous inmate deaths.
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
For the incarcerated, a reformatory cell was basic and had a desk, stool, two footlockers, and two bunk beds, ephemera that can be viewed during a tour (guided and self-guided are available). Something you’ll notice, as I did, is that despite the fact that the building was largely empty—of inmates, of course, and other visitors—the space feels impossibly small. My claustrophobia was further tested as I learned about “the hole,” a small cell wherein prisoners were held for three days as punishment. Rumor has it that at one time there were two inmates held in the hole—and by the end of the three days, only one was alive.
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
Wandering through the halls and peeking into the cells was an unsettling experience. Having seen The Shawshank Redemption, I was familiar with the building’s layout, but the “mood” of the Ohio State Reformatory is something entirely different. If you’re like me and you’ve an overactive imagination, be prepared to have your thoughts running amok and your mind playing tricks with you…what was that breeze on my neck?
You know how experiences or attractions are deemed “not for the faint of heart?”
Hello, I’m Faint of Heart. I believe in ghosts and have an overactive imagination, a witch’s brew of qualities that make me easily spooked…especially at a place like the Ohio State Reformatory. But as with so many of my adventures this year, I’m so glad I jumped in, feet first, ghosts be darned.
The Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Rd., Mansfield
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
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