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Trail Sites
Look for these helpful signs & plaques along the Shawshank Trail!
"Welcome to Shawshank #37927"
Historic Ohio State Reformatory (Site of the Shawshank Prison)
100 Reformatory Rd.
Mansfield, OH 44905
419-522-2644
http://www.ohiostatereformatory.org/
Hours/Cost
Begin your Shawshank Trail tour at the Historic Ohio State Reformatory. 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). Four major motion pictures have been filmed there- Tango and Cash, Harry and Walter Go To New York, Air Force One and Shawshank Redemption. Considered a grand architectural achievement, the massive Reformatory building, large granite pillars and elegant construction encompass 250,000+ square feet and combine three architectural styles: Victorian Gothic, Richardsonian Romanesque, and Queen Anne.
Shawshank Fact:
The Historic Ohio State Reformatory was used as a fictional penitentiary in New England in the movie, Shawshank Prison. To see and hear more on the Shawshank Redemption, make sure you take the Hollywood Tour- the warden's office, Brooks' hotel room and even the replica carving on the ceiling that reads, "Brooks was here. So was Red" are on display. Please note the sign is a replica since the original was destroyed by vandals.The hole that Andy dug through his cell wall to escape is also on display. Even more amazing is the tunnel that the main character Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), dug and crawled through. It is about 2 feet in diameter. Chocolate syrup, saw dust and water were in the tunnel to mimic an actual sewer pipe.
See What's Along the Trail by the Reformatory:
- BibleWalk
- Olivesburg General Store. See the original lights used in the movie and enjoy their Shawshank Sundae!
"Brooks was here. So was Red"
The Haunted Bissman Building (Site of the Brewer Hotel & Portland Daily Bugle)
193 N. Main St.
Mansfield, OH 44902
http://www.bissmanbuilding.com/
The structure was built in 1886 where Peter Bissman's expanded wholesale grocery still stands today. In the early 1930s the twenty smokestacks on the north and south sides of the Bissman's filled the early morning air with the rich aroma of coffee, as its own brands Red Ban Java Blend, Steel Cut and Acme were prepared fresh each day. Downtown residents would wake to the scent of roasting coffee beans and return home at workday's end to the fragrance of roasting peanuts. The building has an early Romantic Gothic styling and shares a haunting similarity with the Historic Ohio State Reformatory since they were both built in the same year by the same architect.
In 2007 the building was leased to a major film production company, The Midnight Syndicate, for the production of The Dead Matter, a vampire movie to be released in October of 2008. The Bissman building, nicknamed as Dead Souls Studio, has a long history of haunted activities and has hosted ghost hunters from all directions. The Bissman Building is not open to the general public for walk-in visitors touring the Shawshank Trail. You may take photos of the outside of the building. For inquiries about the Haunted Bissman Building's paranormal investigations, please contact Joe James, Project Manager, only for paranormal tours and paranormal investigations at 419-295-5002 or paranormalace@ymail.com .
Shawshank Fact:
The Haunted Bissman Building was the site of the Brewer Hotel where Brooks, actor James Whitmore, went to stay and hung himself soon after being paroled from the Shawshank Prison. Please note that only the front of the building was used in the movie. The actual "hotel room" where Brooks stayed was staged at the Historic Ohio State Reformatory. The building was also utilized in the film as the front office of the building for the set of the Portland Daily Bugle. While in front of the Haunted Bissman Building, look ahead (south) to find the City Mills Building on the corner of Fifth and Main Streets and imagine Brooks with suitcase in hand, trying desperately to cross 5th St. on his way to the Brewer Hotel.
See What's Along the Trail by the Haunted Bissman Building:
Directions from Reformatory:
Leaving the Reformatory, turn right onto Rt. 545. Turn right onto Longview Ave. (just after the Rt. 30 exits). At the light, turn left onto Main St. (Rt. 13 south). Cross over Sixth St. Get in the right hand lane. The Haunted Bissman Building will be on the right. Distance from the Historic Ohio State Reformatory 2.0 miles. Photos are encouraged to be taken from the outside.
"Enjoy Life on the Outside"
Carrousel Antiques (Red looks in the window at the compass)
118 N. Main St.
Mansfield, OH 44902
419-522-0230
http://www.carrouselantiques.com
Carrousel Antiques is located in the Historic Carrousel District. A boutique shop with antiques, decor, furniture and upscale resale.
Shawshank Fact:
As you enter the Historic Carrousel District, a little more than halfway up Main St. on the left side of the street, look for Carousel Antiques. One of their windows was the window that Red looked through at the compass that would help him find the Oak Tree.
See what's along the Trail in the Historic Carrousel District:
- Art Space 109
- Carrousel Antiques. Red looked in their window at the compass.
- Cypress Hill Winery. Ask about their Reformatory Red wine!
- Main Street Books
- Mansfield/Richland County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Get your Shawshank Trail guide!
- Relax It's Just Coffee. Ask about The Ixtapa Shawshank coffee!
- Richland Carrousel Park. Ask about their Prison Break Old Fashioned Sodas!
- Two Cousins' Pizza. Ask about their Redemption Pizza Pie!
Directions from the Haunted Bissman Building:
From the Haunted Bissman Building, continue south on Main St. Cross over Fifth St. A little more than halfway up on the left is Carrousel Antiques. Distance from the Haunted Bissman Building .20 miles.
"Brooks feeding the pigeons in the park."
Central Park in Downtown Mansfield (site of the bench where Brooks sat)
419-755-9820 (Parks Department Office)
http://www.ci.mansfield.oh.us/index.php/parks-and-recreation/277
Hours: Sunrise to 11:00 p.m.
The park offers visitors two acres in downtown Mansfield, a gazebo, gardens, picnic area, playground equipment, the Historic Vasbinder Fountain, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and monuments. Nearby attractions, shops and eateries surround the Central Park District.
Shawshank Fact:
Brooks sits down on the bench in Central Park to feed the birds, hoping his friend Jake (his pet crow) will show up to say hello, but he never does. The original bench used in Shawshank Redemption is now where the Gazebo stands. The bench along the Shawshank Trail is just west of the Gazebo along the walkway. Look for the green bench with the Shawshank plaque.
See what's along the Trail in the Central Park District:
- Ed Pickens' Cafe on Main. Ask for their Shawshankwich!
- Squirrel's Den. Ask for their chocolate "prison" candy bars and "rock wall" candy!
- Athens Greek Restaurant
- Coney Island Inn
Directions from Carrousel Antiques:
Continue on Main St. (SR 13 South). Get in left lane. Turn left onto Park Ave. East. Turn left onto Diamond St. Make an immediate left onto North Park St. Gazebo is on the left. Distance from Carrousel Antiques .20 miles.
"The Mansfield Red Carpet"
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Renaissance Theatre (Premier of Shawshank Redemption movie) |
A historic 1928 movie palace in the grand baroque style, The Renaissance Theatre is now the premiere venue for live entertainment in north central Ohio. Home of the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, Neos Dance Co. and the annual Miss Ohio Scholarship Program. National Broadway Tours, rock, country, comedy shows and movies, as well as The Mansfield Symphony, present concerts throughout the year. Wonder inside this breath-taking attraction to see where the Shawshank movie premiered!
Shawshank Fact:
Sit in the very same seats where the premier of Shawshank Redemption was shown on Tuesday, September 13, 1994.
See what's along the Trail to the Renaissance Theatre:
Directions from Central Park:
From North Park St., turn left onto Main St. Get immediately in right lane. Turn right onto Park Ave. West. The Renaissance Theatre is on the right, just after the Holiday Inn. Parking is behind the Renaissance. Take drive between hotel and theatre. Distance from Central Park .30 miles.
"Road to Buxton"
Corner of Snyder Road and Hagerman Road in Bellville, Ohio.
Shawshank Fact:
Snyder Road is the road Red (Morgan Freeman) walked along once he got out of the red pickup truck. The location is at the intersection of Snyder Road and Hagerman Road in Bellville, Ohio.
See What's Along the Trail to "The Road to Buxton":
- Eatmor Bundt Company. Ask about their Shawshank Bundt Cakes!
- Applebee's
- Steak & Shake
Directions:
Leaving Renaissance Theatre, from the back parking lot, turn left onto Park Ave. West. Turn right onto Main St. (Rt. 13 S.). Get in left lane and stay straight as the road forks to the right. Follow Rt. 13 south towards Bellville. Turn left onto Rt. 97 east and travel 3.9 miles to Snyder Rd. Go straight onto Snyder Rd. (North Bend Church of the Brethren Clear Fork Branch on left) and travel 1.4 miles to the corner of Snyder Rd. and Hagerman Rd. At that location, look straight on Snyder Rd. to see where Red walked along to Buxton, Maine. Distance from the Renaissance Theatre: 15.6 miles.
"I Hope to See My Friend"
Hagerman Road and Rt. 95, Bellville, Ohio
Shawshank Fact:
Rt. 95 (near Hagerman Road) in Bellville, Ohio is the location where Red rode the Trailways bus after being released from the Shawshank State Prison. (Photo courtesy of Mike McGhee).
Directions:
Leaving the corner of Snyder Road and Hagerman Road, turn right onto Hagerman Rd. and follow for 1.2 miles to Rt. 95. Stop and look left onto Rt. 95. Distance from Snyder Road and Hagerman Road: 1.2 miles.
"Right Out of a Robert Frost Poem"
Oak Tree (Site of the stone wall)
Shawshank Fact:
The road that Red traveled when he was looking for Andy's treasure was supposed to be in New England in the movie. It was actually on Pleasant Valley Rd. in Lucas, Ohio near Malabar Farm State Park. As you drive west along Pleasant Valley Rd. just past Malabar Farm Restaurant, look to your right (north side of Pleasant Valley Rd.) to see the famous oak tree where Red walked along a hay field and removed stones from a rock wall where Andy kept a gift for Red.
Advisory & Important Message to Shawshank fans:
The oak tree is on private property and is currently being used as agricultural farmland. PLEASE! respect the owner's property and land by not trespassing. Do not climb on or over the fence. Your actions will be reported to the owner. The owner's of the oak tree are negotiating the opportunity to view the oak tree up close for the Shawshank Reunion in 2013, and we must all be respectful to protect the land, the crops and the oak tree for all to enjoy in the years ahead. Please do not stop on the road to view the tree. The tree is best viewed on Malabar Farm's property across the road. Please note the famous oak tree was damaged by high winds on July 29, 2011. Only half of the tree proudly remains standing and we still encourage visitors to see it.
See What's Along the Trail to the Oak Tree:
- TheShawshankOakTree.com (official web store of the oak tree)
- Malabar Farm Restaurant
- Possum Run Greenhouse
Directions from Hagerman Road and Rt. 95:
From the corner of Hagerman Road and Rt. 95, turn left onto Rt. 95 and travel to Rt. 603. Turn left onto Rt. 603. Make the first left onto Pleasant Valley Road. The oak tree will be approximately .8 miles on the right on Pleasant Valley Rd. Distance from Hagerman Rd. and Rt. 95: 4.2 miles.
"The Hollywood Connection"
Malabar Farm State Park
4050 Bromfield Rd.
Lucas, OH 44843
419-892-2784
http://www.malabarfarm.org/
Hours/Cost:
Experience America's most famous farm, the 900 acre country estate of Pulitzer Prize winning author, farmer and conservationist Louis Bromfield and wedding site of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The Visitor Center is full of interactive displays and features unique Ohio-made items, Bromfield's books, farm fresh products, Malabar maple syrup and homemade fudge. Walk through the Ohio Songbird Aviary, petting barn, stroll through our butterfly, prairie & flower gardens and even enjoy a farm wagon ride.
Shawshank Fact:
James Whitmore (Brooks) and Clancy Brown (Captain Hadley) were both taken on a personal tour of the Big House at Malabar Farm by local tour guides. You can tour the 32 room home of Louis Bromfield, Pulitzer Prize winning author. Pugh Cabin (a Shawshank site) is located within the Park.
Directions from the Oak Tree:
Continue on Pleasant Valley Rd. Turn left at the first road which is Bromfield Rd. Make an immediate right at the next road to the Visitors Center. Check in the Visitors Center for a tour of Malabar Farm's Big House.
"A .38 Caliber Divorce"
Pugh Cabin at Malabar Farm State Park (Opening scene from the movie)
4050 Bromfield Rd.
Lucas, OH 44843
419-892-2784
www.malabarfarm.org
Hours/Cost for Rental of Pugh Cabin:
Take a leisurely walk through the Doris Duke Woods located on the grounds of Malabar Farm State Park. The 1 mile loop trail heads back to Pugh Cabin built in 1940 by Louis Bromfield's friend and neighbor Jim Pugh. The trail is named after Doris Duke, the tobacco heiress who, after Bromfield's death in 1956 purchased the timber rights for this woodlot. This authentic log home features two enormous fireplaces fashioned from native sandstone, as well as two ornate chandeliers which once graced a bank in Mansfield.
Shawshank Fact:
In the opening scenes of Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne is sitting in his car, drinking and handling a revolver the night that he caught his wife cheating on him. He is convicted of two life sentences for the murder of his wife and her lover.
Directions from Malabar Farm:
Leave Visitors Center, turn right onto Bromfield Rd., pass Malabar Farm Hostelling International on the right. Pass pond on left. Turn left at next dirt road. Follow the dirt road back to Pugh Cabin, which is on the right at the top of the hill. Check with Malabar Farm staff at the Visitors Center before driving up to Pugh Cabin. Distance: .4 miles.
"Severance Pay for Nineteen Years"
Jim Kisicki, movie bank manager
Huntington National Bank (Site of Casco Bank of Portland)
19 W. Main St.
Ashland, OH 44805
This location is drive by only as the bank has closed. Photos can be taken from the outside of the building.
The private bank was started by the Freer Brothers in 1874. In 1917 the bank became known as The Farmers Bank. The vault's 13-ton door was delivered from Akron by a team of eight horses. To unload the door from the wagon, 100 pounds of bananas were used to grease the planks. The door hinges alone weighed three tons. In 1970 the Farmers Bank became known as the Huntington National Bank.
Shawshank Fact:
"Casco Bank of Portland", which is actually Huntington National Bank in Ashland, Ohio, is where Andy visits near the end of the movie. Wearing a pin-stripped suit and well-shined shoes, he walks into the bank and says he's Randall Stevens, a name up until now had only existed on paper. He had come to close his accounts. The manager is checking his IDs as the teller prepares his check.
He visits a dozen banks throughout the day leaving with Warden Norton's money in the sum of $370,000. Before Andy leaves, he hands the teller a letter for their outgoing mail. The letter was addressed to the Portland Daily Bugle where Andy had mailed the black ledger and files of Warden Norton, which would make breaking news the next day. The vault door, teller line and one of the offices upstairs were a part of this film.
See What's Along the Trail to Huntington National Bank:
Directions from Pugh Cabin:
Turn right onto Bromfield Rd. from Pugh Cabin. Turn right onto Pleasant Valley Rd. Pass Malabar Farm Restaurant on the left. Turn left onto Rt. 603 north. Follow Rt. 603 north through Mifflin and continue. Turn right onto Rt. 42 north towards Ashland, get in the left lane. Make a slight left onto Claremont Ave. Follow into downtown Ashland. Make a sharp right onto Rt. 250 east (Main St.). Go 2 blocks, Huntington National Bank will be on the right, and turn left onto Orange St. to park. Distance from the Pugh Cabin: 19.00 miles.
"Fort Hancock, Texas?"
Revivals Two Thrift Store (Site of the Trailways Bus Station)
345 Orange St.
Ashland, OH 44805
419-207-3900
Hours:
http://www.pumphouseministries.com/
Revivals Two Thrift Store offers new & gently used merchandise from household items to children’s toys, glassware, games, movies, collectibles & antiques, holiday items, furniture, bed, bath & kitchen stuff, adults, teens, children's & infant's clothing & shoes, accessories & much more!
Shawshank Fact:
Red (Morgan Freeman) is seen in the movie standing in a long line of people waiting to purchase a ticket for a bus ride at the Trailways Bus Station. As he steps up to the counter, he asks for a ticket to Fort Hancock, Texas.
Directions from Huntington National Bank:
Leaving the parking lot on Orange St., travel 2 blocks north. Revivals Two Thrift Store will be on the right. Parking lot is just after Revivals. Distance from Huntington National Bank: .20 miles.
"Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty . . ."
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Wyandot County Courthouse 109 S. Sandusky Ave. Upper Sandusky, OH 43351 419-835-5163, ask for Bill Mullen 419-294-3836, Commissioners http://www.co.wyandot.oh.us/ |
Open 9:00-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please ask permission of an employee before taking photos or walking through the Wyandot County Courthouse. Or call Bill Mullen in advance for a tour. Donations suggested
Shawshank Fact:
The Wyandot County Courthouse is the location where Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) was convicted and sentenced for the murder of his wife and her lover.
See What's Along the Trail between Mansfield and Wyandot County Courthouse:
- Quality Inn & Suites. Ask about their Shawshank overnight package.
- Cooper's Mill
- Kingwood Center
- Panera Bread
- Richland Mall
Directions:
Leaving Revivals Two Thrift Store, go south on Orange St. Turn right onto West Third St. Left onto Rt. 250/Cottage St, get in center lane. Stay straight onto Claremont Ave. Claremont Ave. becomes Rt. 42 south. Follow Rt. 42 south to Rt. 30. Take Rt. 30 west and travel towards Upper Sandusky. Exit Wyandot Ave. East and turn left, heading west. Left onto S. Sandusky Ave. Courthouse is on the corner of Wyandot and Sandusky Streets on the left. Parking on either side of the street. Use Sandusky St. entrance. Court room is on the second floor. Distance from Revivals Two Thrift Store 57.30 miles.
"Mozart All Over the Prison"
Shawshank Woodshop
228 S. Eighth St.
Upper Sandusky, OH 43351
419-835-5163, ask for Bill Mullen
Shawshank Fact:
Whenever the prison actors were working in the prison workshops, The Shawshank Woodshop was the site for these shots. The primary scene is when Red (Morgan Freeman) and the rest of the prisoners stop their work to listen to the opera music when Andy (Tim Robbins) locks himself in the warden's office and plays Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" over the public address system.
Open by appointment with advanced notice by calling Bill Mullen, 419-835-5163. Drive by to see where a piece of Hollywood took place. Donations suggested.
Directions:
Leaving Wyandot County Courthouse, head south on Sandusky Ave. Get in right lane. Turn right onto Johnson St. heading west. Continue two blocks. Turn left onto South 8th St. continue one block and the Shawshank Woodshop is on the right (west) side by the railroad tracks in a brick building. Distance from Wyandot County Courthouse .30 miles.
