Mansfield Reformatory

 

Location: 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905

Date Visited: May 14, 2016 

Well, it certainly has been awhile since I've posted here, hasn't it? It has been at least a year. I can't really say why I stopped updating the blog or why I stopped going on explorations. I suppose life just gets in the way sometimes. With that said, I'm back and I have several new posts lined up.

As the title suggests, today's post is about the Mansfield Reformatory. I decided to take a friend there for her 19th birthday, plus a couple of other decaying spots. It's a very low-risk location, considering the place was opened up for tours. Obviously, the whole ordeal felt a bit touristy (touristy? Is that a word?), but was a ton of fun nonetheless.

I'm not going to go too much into the history of the place, considering it's pretty easy to find from other sources. Long story short, the reformatory took in its first prisoners in 1896 and shut down in 1990 after receiving a court-order, citing the place as unfit to hold prisoners. The reformatory started out with a reputation as an excellent place to rehabilitate first-time offenders, but by the end of its time in operation, it was overcrowded and the conditions were inhumane.

In 1993, the movie The Shawshank Redemption was partially filmed at the Mansfield Reformatory.

In 1995, the prison was taken over by the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society, which has worked to preserve and restore the place ever since.

Though it is said by many to be incredibly haunted, our daytime trip didn't seem to include anything of the supernatural kind. Nevertheless, it was a fascinating experience.

My first impression upon seeing the building is that it was absolutely beautiful. Its architecture was inspired by Gothic churches and castles, and on the outside, it truly looks fit for a king.

Left Side

Right Side

Middle

Arch

This inside, on the other hand, is a different story.

The first of many staircases

 Our tour started by heading up some stairs, something we would end up doing a lot during the course of our stay. After this and a trip to a stadium (which I'll be posting in a future article), my legs hurt for days.

We started off in the warden's quarters. The rooms were bright and spacious. Bright pastels seemed to be a common choice for wall colors, even in the cells, which we'll get to soon.

Pink bathroom

Old bathtub

Green room

One of the prettiest rooms, in my opinion.

Stained glass

Peeling Paint

More stained glass windows

The room was kind of circular

Old fireplace

I wonder how many pictures of abandoned toilets I've taken. Way too many, I'm sure.

I want to say that this was part of the set for the Shawshank Redemption. I'm not quite sure, though.

Desk and chairs

Gated window

I don't quite remember what this room was.

 The place honestly felt like a maze. We would've easily become lost had it not been for the tour route signs.

Another room

There were many fireplaces

Another fireplace

More windows

Some benches

The only kitchen I saw in the whole place

Brick wall

Tour route sign

Peeling paint

There seemed to be a trend of single chairs in the middle of some rooms. I'm not sure what that was about.

Lonely chair

Creepy hallway

This may have been set up for the movie. I'm not sure.

 More props from the Shawshank Redemption:

Brooks was here. (So was Red.)

Movie set bedroom

Movie set sink

Yet another window

Another room with nothing but a singular chair

One of many spooky stair cases. This one lead to the chapel.

 The Chapel was personally one of my favorite spots.

Chapel

Columns

Pews

Our next stop was the East Block. Its famous for being the tallest free standing cell block at six stories high.

Decaying door

It's a long way down

Some of the old cells appeared to be used for storage

I wonder what the barrels were for

View from in the cell, looking out

I'm not sure what this lever was for. I pulled it, but all it did was bob up and down.

I think to the left is some sort of electrical box

Some shelves and cabinets

All bar? I wonder what that did.

KEEP OUT!

I kept out, but I did stick my camera in. This is the result.

I have to admit, it's a lovely color for a jail cell.

It baffled me just how tiny some of the cells were. Can you imagine having to share this tiny space with someone?

Prison bed

My friend informed me that her grandfather was an inmate at this prison. His cell could've been one of theses.

Empty cell

Lockhart's cell

This cell has a particularly interesting story. This is the cell of Lockhart, an inmate who committed suicide in this cell by pouring pain thinner on himself and setting himself on fire. I've heard it's a hot spot for paranormal activity, but neither I nor my friend seemed to experience anything peculiar.

Our next stop was the library, which appears to have been stripped of it's shelves.

Information

Information booth

I wonder what kind of information was given here.

There were a lot of old books and papers scattered on a desk

1986 Ohio Revised Code

Library desk

1974 Weekly World News Digest

Inside the book

Broken record

Chalkboard

Old ladder

Another bathroom

We then headed into the west cell block.

The reformatory is said to have housed over 155,000 inmates during its time in operation.

West cell bolck

Yet another toilet

I've heard that this chair moves on its own. It stayed put while I was there.

Old radiator

Indoor window

Old exercise equipment, maybe?

I think this used to be a gym.

More cells

Shower room

Looking up

I thought I saw an orb, but I'm pretty sure it's just a ceiling light.

One of the most confusing things to me was this tiny door. What's inside?

A tunnel that goes straight up apparently. I wonder why?

There were lots of rusty stools around

Fire control center

Another shower area?

Pipes

I want to say that this was solitary confinement cell.

Another cell

This was a bizarre looking toilet.

What I believe is another solitary confinement cell.

 Next we headed up an elevator to the central guard room.

It appears to have been restored.

Central guard room

Door of many colors

Some type of meeting room or banquet hall?

Solitary confinement. At least you get a window!

Inside of solitary cell

"Welcome"

Oddly enough, this painting of Jesus is not in the chapel

Movie theater seats?

Not sure what this is. Some kind of sink, maybe?

Yet another toilet picture

A lonely pew

Window

A fan

Not quite sure what this is or why it's there. I probably should've bought an audio wand.

A restored room, and I believe part of the museum.

Electric chair in the museum

Overall, the trip was very interesting and a lot of fun. I regret now not buying an audio wand because I'm a bit lost on the purpose of some of the rooms and other details. As I said, I felt a bit more like a tourist than an adventurer, but at least the tour was self-guided, and I got a really cool key chain in the gift shop.

I'll soon be posting about a couple of other adventures we embarked on during that weekend, including an abandoned motel and a football stadium, so keep an eye out for those posts in the coming weeks.