Moments in a Historic Reformatory
It was a chilly, overcast morning on the day I was to visit the Ohio State Reformatory—once known as the Intermediate Penitentiary when it first opened in 1896.
The facility has been closed since 1990. It had a reputation of success for many decades—the reform and rehab worked for awhile. But systemic changes had an impact when it was converted into a maximum security facility. Conditions plummeted, which led to the inmates suing the state of Ohio.
They won. A new facility was built, and the old was left behind.
Locals and activists saved the original Reformatory from being demolished—it took a lot of hard work, and just $1 to purchase from the state of Ohio.
I spent a Sunday morning wandering the halls and cells where history breathed through the concrete and rusty metal bars.
The Ohio State Reformatory, 2023
We followed along as our tour guide led us past the main hall to the depths of the historic building, and back up to the rooftop where the guards once kept watch.
Stories of the brutal conditions, the harsh punishments (torture), the success stories, and the evolution filled our headsets as our flashlights sought out the leftover signatures, drawings and dates scrawled on the walls.
If you don’t know already, the Reformatory was used to film Shawshank Redemption. Some say you should see this before you go for a tour. I still plan on seeing the film, but I don’t think it was necessary. No matter what, you’ll walk away with an experience that will stick with you… because the history is real.
It was another world, this place. I could feel the haunting history through the lens as I hit the shutter.
Moments from the Ohio State Reformatory by Stephanie Snyder documented on Sony a7iii. For more on the history of the Reformatory, visit their website.