The Rock Garden of the Ohio State Reformatory
By Rebecca McKinnell Archivist/Historian As part of an effort to present the Reformatory as a positive presence in the Mansfield area, its grounds became something like an additional […]
Got A Smoke?
By Rebecca McKinnell Archivist/Historian In my 12 years as an archivist, one thing has remained true: I am still surprised by what turns up. Just when I think I […]
Cops and Robbers
By Becky McKinnell, Archivist/Historian In the early days of recording oral histories at the Ohio State Reformatory, one interview stood out for the way it captured the mix of routine […]
Mail’s Here
Becky McKinnell, Archivist/Historian The Ohio State Reformatory frequently appeared on postcards, particularly in the early 20th century. While it is interesting to imagine how recipients felt about receiving a […]
Restoring History
The Ohio State Reformatory is more than stone, steel, and tile. It is a tangible link to the past, recounting stories not only of inmates and wardens, but also the […]
A Museum of Museums
Becky McKinnell, Archivist/Historian The Ohio State Reformatory truly contains “museums within a museum.” The first of these, the Ohio Correctional Museum, was established in the west wing on the first floor. Its restoration required […]
A New Addition to OSR
Why a Permanent Concert Stage at The Ohio State Reformatory Matters At its core, The Ohio State Reformatory is not just a historic landmark — it’s a gathering place. A […]
All Is Not What It Seems
By Becky McKinnell, Archivist/Historian Hollywood has long been drawn to the Reformatory, and one of the notable productions filmed here was Tango & Cash in 1988, starring Sylvester Stallone and […]
Please Wipe Your Feet
By Becky McKinnell – Archivist / Historian at Ohio State Reformatory “The vestibules, halls, & passage ways of the front buildings will be laid with a neat but plain […]
Christmas Card for Home
Rebecca McKinnell – Archivist Philip Schwartz was a social worker and psychologist at OSR from 1964 to 1969. During his first six months at OSR, he rented a room […]
It’s All in The Turn
It’s All in The Turn Rebecca McKinnell – Archivist Architect Levi Scofield’s design for the Ohio State Reformatory was a stark contrast in materials. The back of the prison […]
The Mother of Invention
R. McKinnell Oct 6, 2025 “A shiv or shank is a hand-crafted bladed weapon resembling a knife that is commonly associated with prison inmates.” They say that necessity is […]