Ohio State Reformatory

HAUNTED FM · LOCATION FILE 096

Mansfield · Ohio · Prisons & hospitals

Ohio State Reformatory Mansfield 08.jpg — Niagara66. CC BY-SA 4.0. Image source and credits. Displayed at reduced size; no content edits.

Reported haunting · Book ahead

An imposing former prison included on Ohio's haunted-travel route.

Historical background

The Ohio State Reformatory (OSR), also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, is a historic prison located in Mansfield, Ohio in the United States. It was built between 1886 and 1910 and remained in operation until 1990, when a United States Federal Court ruling (the 'Boyd Consent Decree') ordered the facility to be closed. While this facility was seen in a number of films (including several while the facility was still in operation), TV shows and music videos, it was made famous by the film The Shawshank Redemption (1994) when it was used for most scenes of the movie. The Ohio State Reformatory is currently open to tourists.

Background excerpt: Ohio State Reformatory, Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0. Excerpted from the introduction; formatting simplified. Contributor history.

The story behind the stop

The accounts associated with this location are reports and folklore, not proof of paranormal activity. Read the source account ↗

Plan your visit

Arrange an authorized visit before traveling. Confirm the date, meeting point, minimum age, accessibility, and photography rules with the operator. Some experiences are seasonal or limited to scheduled groups.

Use authorized tours and approved routes. These institutions hold histories of real people; avoid treating suffering as a prop or entering restricted areas.

Locate Ohio State Reformatory on a map ↗

Research and visitor source ↗

Prepared October 2, 2026. Opening hours, prices, access, and tour availability are not monitored in real time.