The Other Side of History: The Ohio State Reformatory, The Wood County Infirmary and Unholy Toledo
I have always been intrigued by the side of history that is less known. It started when I learned about the Salem Witch Trials and has since expanded to many other stories that lurk in the shadows of our past. On this episode of City Surge we wanted to show you some local history that is both compelling and unknown. This is the other side of history.
Ohio State Reformatory
This Ohio State Reformatory is located in Mansfield, OH. Constructed between 1886 and 1896 by Cleveland, OH architect Levi T. Scofield. Whether you heard about this location from the Travel Channel or you know of it from a major motion picture, this particular piece of land is rich in history.
History
The Ohio State Reformatory wasn’t always a penitentiary. It started as a place for first time offenders to be reformed and enter back into society with skills they learned while serving time. Due to limited space to place criminals the reformatory transformed into a maximum security prison. After the Federal Court ruling in the favor of inmates class action suit citing overcrowding and inhumane conditions, the reformatory closed its doors December 1990.
Ties to Hollywood
After closing the doors in 1990 the prison was chosen as a location for Shawshank Redemption. It also was used as a filming location for Air Force One, has been used in music videos from big name artists including Lil’ Wayne and is often seen on many paranormal themed content.
The Shawshank Trail
This trail goes to many filming sites that were used in the movie. Several of them are inside of the reformatory including Andy Dufrense’s desk.
Our Experience
We met with Alyana Ross (Communications Coordinator) who is a 4th generation employee of The Ohio State Reformatory. She shared with us that former guards and ex-inmates come back to reconcile with their past. “They leave here looking lighter” according to Alyana Ross. Watch the full episode to hear her story.
Wood County Museum
The Wood Country Museum is located in Bowling Green, Ohio. Dedicated to preserving the local history, The Wood County Museum once served as the Wood County Infirmary and has a connection to The Ohio State Reformatory. In 1867 the Ohio State Board of Charities was formed of state level government officials who offered advice on how to build and maintain comfort for the inmates and convenience of site administrators (Holly Hartlerode, Curator of the Wood Country Historical Center.)
FOR COMFORT & CONVENIENCE Public Charity in Ohio by Way of the Poor Farm
One side of history that is often forgotten is that of poverty. Wood County Historical Society has an entire exhibit dedicated to the stories of many infirmaries that operated around the state of Ohio. Learning more about how those in our communities, who were in need, lived in an establishment like the Wood County Infirmary provides a different perspective on the local history.
Image from Wood County Museum
Why You Need to Visit
This museum is rich in information about the surrounding area. Holly Hartleode, Curator of the Wood County Historical Center, and her team are thoughtful and thorough in creating each exhibit found within the museum. Speaking to Holly about this episode she stated a quote that stuck with me. “Crime is often done out of necessity.” The final experience in this post is a prime example of how true that is.
Unholy Toledo
You may have heard of “The Gangs of New York” but how about the gangs of Toledo, OH? We had the opportunity to interview Tedd Long, creator and curator of the online Unholy Toledo Experience. The amount of passion and knowledge that flooded from Tedd made each story that much more compelling.
The Unholy Toledo Self-Guided Tour
Available online, this 18 – stop tour provides a side of history you would have never thought existed in Toledo, OH. Although there are locations at some of your favorite parts of Downtown Toledo, you will want use a car to make it to all the stops on the tour.
Image from Holy Toledo History
Exploring The Maumee Self-Guided Tour
Looking for even more local history? Tedd Long just released this VoiceMap Tour of “Exploring The Maumee” that takes you through the local history that lives along the Maumee River. According to Tedd, some locations have claims of paranormal activity. This experience has a technological advancement that uses GPS to guide you where to go and tells you the history when in proximity of the location.
Take a step into the other side of history with one of these unique experiences. The more I learn the deeper I want to dig. There is a lot to uncover, you just have to cross to the other side of history.
***Disclaimer: This episode was not sponsored. Opinions are Hayliestory’s. City Surge is produced by HayRobin Media Productions LLC (Hayliestory) and filmed by ZakFilms LLC. State Wide Regulations (masks, sanitizing, social distancing, etc.) were practiced throughout the entire filming of this episode. When traveling please follow the CDC regulations and any additional rules established by local businesses.