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From the Archives

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Author Rebecca McKinnell

The Ohio State Reformatory is “the largest castle-like structure in Ohio [and] it is one of the five largest in the United States” (The Haunted History of the Ohio State Reformatory by Sherri Brake). Although much of it was built by the inmates who were housed here, the initial administrative and living quarters, as well as the West Cell Block, were built by local masons and craftsmen. The stone came from a local quarry, nicknamed, “The Devil’s Punchbowl.”

The West Administrative wing will soon house the Ohio Prison Museum, but while it was under restoration a little item was found beneath the floorboards in one of the former office rooms. Buried in the fill dirt that was used below the floor was a small pottery item. Jeff Bell, a restoration woodworker, pulled the item out and found it to be a pipe. Jeff did some research and found that the pipe was manufactured by The Akron Pipe Smoking Company sometime between 1890 and 1915. There is a saying “if walls could talk.” Did one of the masons or craftsmen building this administrative office leave this as a reminder that they were there or did it fall there by accident? We will probably never know but it is a unique item that leaves a very human fingerprint on this massive structure which inmates used to call “the Castle.”

Pipe manufactured by The Akron Smoking Company

The History of MRPS

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The History of MRPS…

by Nancy K. Darby

In 1990, the Ohio State Reformatory was planned for demolition.  The outbuildings and wall were to be taken down, but the cell blocks and the administrative building would remain to stand because of the high cost of their destruction.  A lack of funding serves as interesting bookends to the OSR’s history: insufficient money slowed construction, and the same problem prevented the facility’s complete demolition.  The Mansfield community saw an opportunity in the suspended demolition.  The Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society (MRPS) was formed in 1995 as a grassroots effort to save and preserve the Ohio State Reformatory.  By the time of its formation, the wall and outbuildings had been demolished.  Because of the deteriorating condition of the building, the daunting task was at first met with skepticism.  

Over the next eight years, the state vacillated about plans for the building.  Finally, in 2000, the State of Ohio gave the building to the City of Mansfield, which in turn sold it to MRPS for $1.  This is when MRPS’ work began in earnest.  The goal of the society is to restore and preserve the building and its relics.  In 2014, the reformatory was designated as the official museum for the Ohio Corrections Department and is currently preparing rooms to display items from throughout Ohio’s corrections facility, including the original electric chair.

Restoration Updates

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By Sandy Lykins

The restoration of the assistant warden’s living quarters, also known as Warden Norton’s office in the Shawshank Redemption, was finalized in May of 2017. The intricate restoration process involved the skilled restoration staff’s intensive labor for three months. Notice the deteriorated condition of the ceiling and floor, serving as a memory from the reformatory’s forgotten history.  

The restoration process required removing and replacing the entire floor, including subframe.  According to the restoration crew’s lead craftsman, Bill Sample, the dilapidated ceiling was extracted and repaired. In fact, the entire room was gutted, except for the walls, and restored back to the condition the room was in the day the Shawshank Redemption filming began. Even wood grain was painted in the woodwork by Jeff Bell to match the more expensive style depicted in the movie. 

The Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society and countless visitors are thankful for the skilled efforts of the Ohio State Reformatory’s restoration staff in bringing this deteriorated, collapsing room back to life.

Warden Norton's Office PrerestorationWarden's Office Postrestoration

Guest Blogger: Shay Mock

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This week’s guest post comes from Shay Mock:
On 03-27-15 we had a private investigation (Ghosts-R-Us). My husband joined my group for this. He wanted to see the location, the building and such. He was very much a skeptic, until that night. During the walk through we got to Cell Block West (the one without the gate over the railings). I told him to stand between the 2 cutouts, which happened to be in a cell doorway, so I could get a picture. My camera conveniently wouldn’t take a pic, however when it finally did his torso was in the cell. He popped out looking confused and kept looking in the cell. I asked him what was wrong.. he replied, my hand was touched”. I said well who or what is in there that could’ve done that. He said “nothing!” Shortly after that we started setting up our cameras in thst block bc we both seemed very drawn to it. Both of our attitudes changed and we both began feeling agitated and defensive, for no reason. Being an investigator I knew we needed out of the building & sure enough it got better after walking out. In that same cell block we wanted to go all the way up, however from the 3rd floor on I had an over whelming feeling of being pushed over the railings. So, I rushed passed the 4th floor thinking it’d get better but when I got to the 5th I wrapped my arms around the pole where the stairs are bc I truly felt as if I would be pushed! After he met me back on the 3rd floor, still holding on I managed to walk it with him. We decided to stop in a cell and try to get Flashlight responses…. and we did! Well they responded to him, not me. I also caught pictures and a lot of audio! Btw.. they do not like the Boo Bear! 

 

 

Guest Blogger: Dawn Lewis

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Our first guest blog post is from Dawn Lewis:
I first visited OSR in August 2015. It was a spur of the moment trip on a Friday. I had read a little about OSR but did not know much of the history on my first visit. Since it was a Friday a lot of the admin areas & warden’s area were not open. I was unaware at the time how much I missed. I spent a few hours wondering around the cell blocks and solitary. I was mesmerized by this place….I came home and was checking out the website and saw the top things to see and a few of them I had not saw on my trip. I should also mention that my camera died about 15 minutes after I arrived & was fully charged before I got there! I thought to myself, I’ll go back next year and see it all on a Sunday. That didn’t work out so well! After reading up on OSR and reading The Haunted History of OSR I knew I couldn’t wait to get back. Two weeks later on the last day of the season I was back at OSR bright and early. I was surprised at all the cars in the parking lot with license plates that were out of state. I took the Behind the Scenes tour and the West Tower tour. The Behind the Scenes was so interesting and informative. We got a lot of info that would never be found in any book, our guide’s knowledge was astonishing. It was neat to see the basement and attic as well. We also had a volunteer talk with us that was a former inmate. His story made me tear up but I am glad it worked out for him in the end. Behind the Scenes was a glimpse into the innerworkings of the OSR. I immediately went into the other tour which was great as well. After that I walked around the cell blocks a bit more and hung out in solitary for a bit. I thought I had saw most of the place at this point. I went up near the gift shop and saw people at the top of some stairs. I decided to follow them up to where ever it was they were going. I ended up in the warden’s quarters. There was a guide up there talking with everyone as they passed by. She had some really interesting stories. I followed the signs and ended up in the top floor of the cell block. I had been wanting to go up there so bad but all the stairs were blocked off. The tour route up there and around some of the levels really gives more of a picture of what it was like living there back then. I think this adds a lot to the tour to be able to go up on the other levels. I followed the rest of the tour route and took a million pictures. There is so much to see and learn there it’s amazing. The building itself is just beautiful from the outside and it’s hard to imagine the horrific things that went on inside in the later days when it was a maximum security prison. I came home that day with so much more knowledge as well as wonder about OSR. It’s one of those things you have to see to believe. I can only hope that one day I will have the opportunity to volunteer at OSR!!

 

 

Haunted Prison Experience

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This week marked the first Haunted Prison Experience: The Witching Hour. We were so excited to see everyone come out and have such a good time. If you missed this weekend, don’t worry. They are every weekend through November 1.

Be our Guest(writer)!

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If you are interested in writing a guest blog post for us, please message us on Facebook with your entry, and you may find yourself here. 

Give us your Feedback!

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The updates to all of our social media is well underway! Don’t forget to keep in touch with us throughout this process. We love and value all feedback!

Thank you!

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This past weekend was full of excitement and fun for everybody. We thank all who came out to visit us. Please stop by again soon.