Ohio State Penitentiary – Strollo Architects (2024)

FAQs

Who built the Ohio State Reformatory? ›

Designed by architect Levi T. Scofield, the Ohio State Reformatory opened its doors in 1896 as a facility to rehabilitate young male offenders through hard work and education.

The 10 oldest state inmates, prison records show: 1. Roy Schrock, 96, of Lake County. He was convicted by a jury of rape, kidnapping and gross sexual imposition.

By the time the fire was controlled, 322 people were dead and another 130 were seriously injured. Photograph of the makeshift morgue at the Ohio State Fairgrounds filled with victims of the Ohio Penitentiary fire. Courtesy of the Ohio History Connection.

As the result of a prisoners' class action suit citing overcrowding and inhumane conditions (Boyd v. Denton, C.A. 78-1054A (N.D. Oh.)), District Judge Frank J. Battisti of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio ordered the prison closed by the end of December 1986.

When it was built in 1886, at a cost then of $1.3 million, the Ohio State Reformatory (also known as the Mansfield Reformatory) was the largest reformatory in America.

Ranked the #1 film of all time on IMDB, director Frank Darrabont chose Richland County and the surrounding areas as the backrop for the iconic film, The Shawshank Redemption. The Ohio State Reformatory stood in as the formidable Shawshank Prison.

General Scoop & History: With the cornerstone laid in 1886, this castle-like prison was designed as a reformatory for young offenders. One of the top five largest castle-like structures in the USA, the Reformatory houses the world's tallest free-standing steel cell block (6 tiers; 12 ranges, 600 cells).

The Ohio State Reformatory first began construction on November 4, 1886. It began as a juvenile's prison, but in 1970 was changed to a men's maximum security prison. At its maximum, it held 2,000 prisoners.

Thomas Silverstein was convicted of four brutal murders, all while serving time for armed robbery — then spent the last 36 years of his life in solitary confinement. Thomas Silverstein was an explosively violent, lifelong convict who murdered four people while imprisoned.

Who is the longest serving inmate in US history? ›

Paul Geidel Jr. (April 21, 1894 – May 1, 1987) was the longest-serving prison inmate in the United States whose sentence ended with his parole, a fact that earned him a place in Guinness World Records. He is now the 2nd longest-serving inmate next to Francis Clifford Smith who survived 70 years, 31 days.

Some of its more famous inmates were General John H. Morgan, who famously escaped the prison during the Civil War, “Bugs” Moran, O. Henry, Chester Himes, and Sam Sheppard, whose story is said to have inspired the movie “The Fugitive.”

About the Penitentiary

Louisiana State Penitentiary, once known as “America's Bloodiest Prison,” is the largest maximum security prison in the nation. The penitentiary's storied history of instability and reform serve as a reminder of the progress made within corrections and the possibilities of rehabilitation.

ADX Florence, located in the United States, has earned its reputation as one of the world's worst prisons due to its exceptionally high-security measures. Commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” ADX Florence houses some of the most dangerous and notorious criminals.