If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to walk through a real haunted prison, your chance is waiting in Mansfield, Ohio. The Ohio State Reformatory (also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, or, if you’re a movie fan, Shawshank Prison from The Shawshank Redemption) transforms every fall into one of the most terrifying haunted attractions on the planet: Blood Prison. 🩸
From Reform to Ruin
This historic prison first opened in 1896 and operated until 1990, when it was finally shut down due to harsh conditions and reports of abuse. Things at the Reformatory got so bad that the inmates actually sued the state of Ohio (and WON, mind you), which ultimately led to its closure.
But it didn’t start off as a horror story. The Reformatory was originally built to reform criminals who committed minor offenses, not to punish them. It was a place for those who aged out of the juvenile system, but didn’t “deserve” the Ohio State Penitentiary.
Inmates took religious classes, attended school, were given yard time/sports programs, and learned trades as part of their rehab. Sentences were 18 months long, and if inmates showed progress, they were released. If not, they’d serve another 18 months. For a while, it actually worked — most inmates who went through the Ohio State Reformatory never returned.
That all changed in the 1960s when the state pulled funding for rehabilitation and turned the facility into a maximum security prison. The most brutal part of the facility became known as “The Hole,” a solitary confinement area that was purposefully left at a scorching 95 degrees, with no windows or natural light. Inmates were locked inside for three days, often leaving with their sanity barely intact.
From Shawshank to Scream Factory
After the prison closed in 1990, its eerie, decaying beauty caught Hollywood’s attention. Just two years later, The Shawshank Redemption began filming there, saving the building from demolition and giving it a second life as a piece of cinematic (and now haunted) history.
Today, it’s home to Blood Prison, one of the most intense haunted houses in the world. And let me tell you, this experience is not for the faint of heart.
Inside Blood Prison
You’ll wander through towering cell blocks (including the largest free-standing steel cell block in the world) while scare actors pop out from every shadowy corner. And believe me — there are a lot of corners. Just when you think you’ve escaped, you realize there’s no such thing as “safe” inside these walls.
And how could it be “safe?” You’re walking through a place where over 200 inmates died from disease, murder, or suicide. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, you can feel something watching you.
For those who want to crank the terror up a notch, there’s the infamous touch pass. If you buy it, you are given a glow-stick necklace. But it’s not as cute and whimsical as it sounds… It tells the actors they’re allowed to touch you.
And let me warn you, it’s not just a light touch.
They’ll grab you, put you in headlocks, pin you against the walls, and even put their fingers in your ears. It’s horrifying, hilarious, and unforgettable all at once.
Real Horror Meets Real History
Even when the lights flicker back on and you’ve survived the maze of screams, it’s impossible to shake the feeling that not everything in there was an actor. The prison’s dark past seems to seep through the walls, reminding you that while the inmates are long gone… the fear remains.
So if you’re ready to experience one of the scariest haunted houses in Ohio (and maybe meet a few actual spirits along the way), grab your tickets to Blood Prison at the Ohio State Reformatory — if you dare.
Blood Prison at the Ohio State Reformatory | 📍 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905
🔗 Click to learn more about the Ohio State Reformatory or get tickets to Blood Prison.
Haunted & Halloween Guides
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