The Ohio State Reformatory: An Overview

Have you ever wondered what it is like to walk the halls of a dark and mysterious prison? Have you ever wanted to stand in places where inmates once walked in an attempt to try and get a sense of what it would be like to spend the majority of your life, or even a portion of your life behind bars? If so, you are holding one of the most amazing books that can take you into all of these situations. This book is about a prison that was built in the rolling hills of Mansfield, Ohio in the1800s on a pre-existing civil war training camp where approximately 150,000 inmates served time for the crimes they may or even may not have committed. It covers topics from before the prison was built, during the building process, and after its completion. This book will cover an inmates stay and what he could experience during his incarceration and how this prison operated as a "city within a city".

Joe James is a resident of Richland county and lives approximately 15 miles from the Ohio State Reformatory. Having lived in the area all his life provided Joe the natural curiosity of wondering what happened behind the walls of the beautiful architecture of the historical structure. He discovered his passion for the prison during his early childhood when he attended his first Haunted Prison Experience at the age of 13. Shortly after that he took his first guided tour and has since taken four others gathering information and speaking with volunteers of the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society. He has also had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with several former OSR employees, who have provided a lot of the information of the inmate experience. He has also had the pleasure of volunteering at the prison to contribute to the preservation of this monumental structure which is a big part of the history of Richland County. Joe is a passionate person and has discovered a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment from his research. He invites you to sit back and take the opportunity to learn about one of the most amazing places that north central Ohio has to offer, The Ohio State Reformatory. He would enjoy receiving any of your feedback, comments or questions at OSRBook@yahoo.com.