Located in Mansfield, Ohio, the Ohio State Reformatory was a functioning prison until 1990. Built in the 19th century with granite pillars and Gothic columns, the Ohio State Reformatory is the largest castle-like structure in the state of Ohio and one of the largest in the country. But the Ohio State Reformatory is perhaps most famous for being the setting for several major motion pictures, with the most notable being "The Shawshank Redemption." All of these factors combine to make the Ohio State Reformatory an exciting place to visit for everyone from movie buffs to ghost hunters.
Best and Worst Times to Visit the Ohio State Reformatory
The best time to visit the Ohio State Reformatory is from April 1 - September 1 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day besides major holidays, since that is the only period that the reformatory is open to the general public.
The worst time to visit the Ohio State Reformatory is from September 1 - April 1 because the reformatory is closed to the general public and only those who have pre-registered for special events can visit the reformatory during that period. The only exception to this is the Haunted Prison Experience, which is on Thursday-Sunday evenings from late September-November 1.
Must See/Do at the Ohio State Reformatory
Most visitors go on self-guided tours of the Ohio State Reformatory, but those who visit on a Sunday have the opportunity to go on one of four guided tours, including the Hollywood tour, which shows visitors the parts of the prison that have appeared in popular motion pictures, such as Andy Dufresne's escape tunnel in "The Shawshank Redemption."
Another one of the popular Sunday guided tours is the East Cell Block tour, which takes visitors along the length of the reformatory's east cell block, which is the largest freestanding cell block in the world.
For those who would like to add a level of spookiness to their tour, the Ohio State Reformatory website lists the dates it offers ghosts walks, which are special guided tours that take visitors through the reformatory from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Admission to the Ohio State Reformatory
General admission from April 1 - September 1 ranges from $7 - $9. The Sunday guided tours and audio wands are available for an additional $5.
The ticket prices for other special tours and events such as ghost walks and the Haunted Prison Experience vary in price, so those who want to take part in these activities will want to go to the Ohio State Reformatory website to learn more about specific ticket prices.
General admission and guided tour tickets can be purchased at the central entrance of the reformatory, while tickets for the special tours and events can be purchased either at the entrance or online.
Parking and Public Transportation to the Ohio State Reformatory
The Ohio State Reformatory has its own parking available on-site. There is sometimes a small fee for parking, typically during the Haunted Prison Experience.
Although Richland County does run a bus service, it does not run a route to the Ohio State Reformatory. For those who need to take public transportation to the reformatory, the city of Mansfield has several taxi services to choose from.
Food at the Ohio State Reformatory
The Ohio State Reformatory does not serve food on-site, except for during ghost hunts, when pizza and beverages are served.
One of the highest rated restaurants in Mansfield is Athens Greek Restaurant, which is less than a ten minute drive from the Ohio State Reformatory. Known for its authentic Greek cuisine and pastries, the prices at Athens Greek Restaurant range from 40 cents for Greek glazed cookies called Koulouris, to $5 for a super gyro sandwich. Athens Greek Restaurant is open Monday - Saturday from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Insider Tip for Visitors to the Ohio State Reformatory
The Ohio State Reformatory warns visitors that many of the areas inside the building were painted with lead-based paint. As a result, the reformatory says that pregnant women and children under the age of 7 should refrain from going on any tours of the building.
Author's bio: Miranda Roehler grew up in Northwest Ohio. She studied Creative Writing and History at The University of Findlay and has been published in multiple international journals.
