Shackles and Shadows: A Haunted Halloween in Mansfield’s Ohio State Reformatory
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Celebrating Halloween at the Haunted Mansfield Prison
The Ohio State Reformatory had over 200 deaths onsite during the years it was run as a state prison. The people who died were prisoners, family members of the warden, and guards. They suffered everything from diseases, fire, gunshots, and hangings.
With so many spirits that had met an untimely end, there is no surprise that this building is haunted! Featured on places like the Discovery and Travel Channel, there are plenty of opportunities to visit and see for yourself!
Even though this attraction is open year-round, Halloween is a great time to visit because of its haunted house and escape rooms. If you are in the area, you should also plan to go back for one of the ghost tour experiences!
Brief History of the Ohio State Reformatory
The Ohio State Reformatory started housing inmates in 1896. In the 1960s the state stopped its financial support and converted it into a maximum-security prison. In the years that followed, the facility became so rundown that the inmates won a lawsuit against the State of Ohio to get a new facility built. Eventually, the Reformatory stopped housing prisoners in 1990.
Currently, the Ohio State Reformatory is run by the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society. There are several tours and events you can participate in depending on your interests. It is also home to the Ohio State Corrections History Museum and The North Central Ohio Industrial Museum.
Spooky Things to Do at the Ohio State Reformatory
Halloween is the perfect time to visit a real haunted place like the Ohio State Reformatory. You can tour the facility during the day, their special haunted house at night, or sign up to do an escape room! Though they don’t offer nighttime paranormal tours while the haunted house is open, it’s definitely worth making an additional trip for the experience.
Here’s my post about visiting the Ohio State Reformatory when it’s NOT the Halloween season.
Escape from Blood Prison: The Reformatory’s Haunted House
The main attraction in October is the Reformatory’s Haunted House: Escape From Blood Prison. For the 2024 season, Blood Prison will be open Friday to Sunday, from September 27- November 2nd. On Friday and Saturday, the hours will be from 7 pm-midnight and on Sundays from 7 pm -10 pm. They will be open on Halloween this year (a Thursday) from 7 pm to 11 pm.
This haunted house is one of a kind, located INSIDE the haunted Ohio State Reformatory. The characters are dressed as spooky inmates, guards, and even the warden’s wife as you walk through sections of a cell block. They do have food vendors on site so you can eat and drink (no alcohol) while you wait for your Blood Prison experience.
This year a standard adult ticket costs anywhere from $28-$35 (plus a $5 fee) depending on when you go. The cheapest tickets are available for the first 2 weeks they’re open and the last few days before they close for the season. You do have to be at least 10 years old to enter (you may be asked for proof) and I’d plan on it taking just under an hour to get through the haunted attraction.
There are 3 ticket options: the standard, the touch pass, and the ultra lighting pass. The standard pass covers your basic entry to the haunted house. If you’re looking for a more ‘hands-on’ experience, ask for a touch pass. This pass gives the scare actors in the house permission to touch you.
Finally, the Ultra Lighting pass lets you skip the general admission line to the haunted house much quicker. Tickets are available online and you need to select a time slot and arrive 10 minutes before your tour time.
Be warned that tickets can sell out so purchase them ahead of time. But be careful! They will NOT offer refunds for any reason.
Fall Ohio State Reformatory Tours
If you want to make a day (and night) of your Ohio State Reformatory visit, they are still open for select tours during the Halloween season (Labor Day to Nov 22nd). These day tours are scheduled between 11 am – 4 pm and will be slightly different than the tours you get during the rest of the year.
Ohio State Reformatory Self-Guided Tour
The self-guided tour covers the history of the building along with pointing out the filming locations from different music videos and movies and several paranormal stories. I recommend spending the extra $5 to get the audio wand for each person. My husband and I tried sharing the wand and we had to take turns using it to hear the audio properly.
Due to the Haunted House, this tour is discounted since you won’t have access to the ground levels of the cell blocks, showers, or solitary confinement.
Ohio State Reformatory Guided Tours
Most guided tours are $40 and some have a minimum age requirement due to the subjects covered. Be sure to look closely at the website before you book if you plan to have younger children with you.
- Beyond the Scare Tour– This one is perfect for people who want to see the Blood Prison when it’s not in full haunted house mode. This 1.5-hour guided tour will cover some of the building’s history and several of the stops on the “Beyond the Bars” tour that’s available the rest of the year. Highlights aside from the Blood Prison are the “Jesus Room” and if the weather permits, the Guard Tower. Tour times are 7 days a week at either 11:30 am or 2:30 pm.
- Fall Guided Tour– This 1.5-hour tour combines aspects of the “Hollywood Meets History” and “Beyond the Bars” tours that are available the rest of the year. What’s special about this one is that you get access to the West Attic which is usually closed off.
- Old Sparky: Electric Chair History & Ohio Executions– This tour involves a 1-hour presentation about the history of the electric chair and ends with a walking tour of the building and a visit to the electric chair onsite. This tour is about 1.5 hours long and you’ll need to call ahead of time to book it.
- Shawshank Bus Tour– If you are a “Shawshank Redemption” fan, there is a 4.5-hour bus tour that will take you to 10 different filming locations around town from the movie. After the bus tour, there is a short walking tour of the “Shawshank Prison” section of the building. This tour is available on weekends only at 12 noon during the months of April to October.
Ohio State Reformatory Escape Room
An escape room in a haunted prison? What a fun and creepy way to get into the Halloween spirit! For $35 a person, you can do the Escape from Shawshank room AND the self-guided tour (if done on the same day).
The escape room is true to the history of the prison, where you must escape your cell and eventually uncover the Warden’s secrets in his office. There is an age limit (8 yrs old with parental supervision) to participate, and they book 8 people per time slot. The times available vary per day, so be sure to check the calendar when you are making plans.
Paranormal Experiences at Ohio State Reformatory
Unfortunately, the paranormal experiences at the Reformatory are NOT available during the spooky season. However, if you are interested in ghost walks or hunts, they have some great programs!
The Ohio State Reformatory hosts Ghost Walks and Ghost Hunts on select days from mid-November to December and again from March to August each year. The price ranges from $45 to $104 per person depending on the event.
The Ghost Walks typically last around 2 hours and the Ghost Hunts are either 4 or 8 hours long. No matter which haunting experience you choose, you can rent ghost-hunting equipment for an extra fee. Doing one of these ghost hunts has been on my bucket list for several years now. Unfortunately, they tend to book quickly so plan ahead if you want to join one!
Nearby Otherworldly Attractions:
Mansfield is perfectly placed between Cleveland and Columbus. This means multiple attractions that can help you get into the Halloween spirit just a short drive away.
Ready to Get Locked Up with Ghosts?
Is there a more fitting way to spend Halloween than at a real haunted prison? The Ohio State Reformatory has something to offer everyone. Take a daytime tour to hear the history of the building, walk through the haunted house Blood Prison, or take your chances in their escape room. Don’t forget to come back once this spooky holiday is over to search for ghosts after darkness falls. Once you’ve visited, you’ll be begging to get locked up with ghosts again!
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