Ohio State Reformatory

Ohio State Reformatory is a former state prison and current museum in Mansfield, Ohio. The building features tall stone walls, arched windows and cell blocks arranged around a central yard.

The state opened the facility in autumn 1896 and received inmates for nearly a century. Courts ordered its closure in winter 1990 after lawsuits challenged the conditions inside.

Fans of a well-known prison film travel here to walk through rooms and corridors that appeared on screen. Many visitors pause at the tunnel entrance and the warden's office, recreating moments from the movie.

Visitors choose between daytime tours through the administrative rooms and cell blocks or evening visits that focus on stories. Hallways can be long and uneven, so comfortable shoes help.

The eastern cell block rises six stories and holds the record as the tallest freestanding steel cell structure anywhere. The entire construction consists of interlocking steel beams that stand without outer supporting walls.

Location: Mansfield

Inception: 1910s

Architects: Levi Scofield

Official opening: September 15, 1896

Architectural style: Romanesque architecture

Address: Olivesburg Road

Website: https://mrps.org

GPS coordinates: 40.78528,-82.50500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 23:18