Maybe a little creepy....Welcome to prison

[Bryston3bsst]

Welcome to prison.....that was how I used to greet my tour groups. For 16 years I was a tour guide at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, OH. The property was the shooting location for Shawshank Redemption, Air Force One and Tango and Cash. The facility was finished in 1896 and it's first 150 'guests' arrived for a stay. After 94 years and 155,000 guests it was closed in 1990 and slated to be demolished.

Fortunately we were able to save it and the property was deeded to the Preservation Society in 1993.

As a volunteer I had access to the entire building and believe me it was a great place to shoot creepy pictures.

The X on the floor is formed by daylight coming through the 4 doorways on either side of the hall. The 'stalactites' on the ceiling are peeling paint.

Solitary confinement. The first door past the cage is the cell where Andy Dufresne spent two months in solitary. These cells have tile walls and floors, no windows and are cave dark when the door and access door is closed. The original design was simply with a hole in the middle of the floor to be used for necessaries. Later they installed regular flush toilets.

Coming up from the boiler room to solitary. The boiler room was a damn scarey area.

Steps leading up to the TB ward. The prison was horribly overcrowded by the time it closed. It had a total of 950 cells most built to house two men. Total population intent was about 1900. Population at time of closing was about 3000. They had healthy inmates bunking in the TB ward with the TB patients. Oh, joy.

Standing on the bridge from the east cell block to the chapel. About 150 feet down. Central guard room behind the bars on the left. This was the visiting area for inmates. The columns are solid granite. Each weighing a little less than a Kenworth.

Looking down an east cell block range.

TB ward.

I know it's been a long tour, you're probably tired, so.....have a seat.

We were supposed to get the original 'Old Sparky' from the Ohio State Penitentiary but due to a pant load of politics (imagine that) we didn't. However, we got the next best thing. This one was built using the original as blueprints. It was made by several former guards and inmates from Ohio State Pen.

Pretty cool, huh?

 

[Nevermore1]

These are great! I am actually planning a trip there may be in the early fall or next spring if I don't make it in the fall.

 

[tirediron]

What an amazing place to shoot! Great set!

 

[DaPOPO]

Great shots, thanks!!

 

[aoposton]

nice set, thanks for the tour.

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

Maybe this is a stupid question but what is the TB ward?

 

[jkzo]

Geat story......

 

[Gary A.]

Great presentation. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Gary A.]

Maybe this is a stupid question but what is the TB ward?

TB = Tuberculosis (google it)

 

[Jasii]

Nice series complimented by great narrative, like a virtual tour.
Thanks for sharing...

 

[PropilotBW]

Thanks for the narrative along the way. Nice pictures.

Did the Ghost Hunters ever come out to this place?

 

[Bryston3bsst]

Thanks for the narrative along the way. Nice pictures.

Did the Ghost Hunters ever come out to this place?

The TV show? Many times. In fact one of the most popular things we did were the ghost hunts. This is where you can spend the night in the prison. We would usually book 3 Saturdays a month over the summer only simply because it got too bloody cold in the winter. We allowed 100 people on each scheduled weekend and the cost was $75. These things sold out months in advance. Everyone came with their ghost hunting equipment and cameras.

Now I know everyone has their views on this kind of thing so try to keep an open mind here. I have seen countless pictures and videos shot in that building over the years of unusual things, most of which can be explained away quite easily. However....there have been a few that were not so easily explained. Things that have happened to me and to people that I worked with there for years, so I knew them very well. I have spent a great deal of time in the building by myself working on different projects and I'll say it made me a little uneasy a few times.

I did get one pretty cool picture that had something it it that was kind of odd. I was shooting in a hall and was going for the stalactite paint peeling from the ceiling. After the shot I noticed this, I guess you would call it an anomaly. I don't try to explain this kind of thing. I just look at it and get goose bumps. So, here you go.....

If nothing else, it's fun.

Thanks for all the kind words. I used to love taking folks through the building. I'm glad you all enjoy it too.

 

[Dagwood56]

Great set of photos. Thanks for the tour, it looks like a fascinating place to explore.

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

Maybe this is a stupid question but what is the TB ward?

TB = Tuberculosis (google it)

That's what I thought it was, I just wasn't sure they would dedicate an entire ward for it.

 

[weepete]

Nice set.