The Mad Dog Killers of Mansfield Reformatory

Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio might be better known by its unofficial name, Mansfield Reformatory. The former reformatory is renowned for its paranormal activity and spooky appearance, which has led many to dub the facility, "Dracula's Castle." Today, it is known in the paranormal field as something of an ideal training grounds for would-be ghost hunters to learn the tools of the trade. After all, the prison is steeped in legends of past inmate violence and other notorious goings-on. In fact, sometimes it is quite difficult to separate the legend from reality, For example, it is not uncommon to hear that the Ohio State Reformatory housed the worst of the worst in the state of Ohio. In reality, it was an intermediate facility whose inmates were those too old to serve in a juvenile detention center, yet too young for the hard life awaiting them at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus. That's not say that the facility did not have its bad apples and bloodshed. In fact, today is the anniversary of one of the reformatory's most notorious crimes.

July 21, 1948 marked the start of a two-week crime spree that would take the lives of six innocent civilians and spread fear throughout the community. Interestingly, the crimes were sparked not by inmates then serving time, but rather two men who had recently been paroled. On this day 61 years ago, Robert Daniels and John West returned to Ohio State Reformatory to enact revenge on an employee of the prison. When that individual could not be located, the two men went to the home of the prison's farm superintendent and kidnapped the man, his wife and his daughter. They took the three souls to a nearby cornfield and executed them in cold blood. As it turned out, the crime spree had only just begun and it would last for two weeks longer until it ended in a shootout with West dead and Daniels in handcuffs. Robert Daniels would ultimately be executed for the crimes, for which the press dubbed the men the "Mad Dog Killers."

Read more of the history and the stories of ghostly activity at the Ohio State Reformatory.

-Casey H.

A Tribute to the Lake Erie Monster

On Father's Day 2005 (June 19th), Dale and Gerard Schofield debuted their own personal tribute to their recently deceased father, Thomas. In 1994, Thomas decided to pay tribute to an area's local legend by building a full-scale replica. Sightings of the Lake Erie Monster, also known as South Bay Bessie or just Bessie, date back to 1793 and have continued sporadically in recent years (see Lake Erie). A flurry of sightings in the late-1980s/early-1990s inspired one bordering town to capitalize on the marketing potential. In 1990, the town of Huron, Ohio passed a proclamation that declared the town was the “National Live Capture and Control Center for the Lake Erie Monster.” To further their cause, the local businesses joined efforts to raise $102,700 for the live capture of the creature, as well as built a containment pen where Bessie would be relocated if captured.

Schofield joined in on the fun in 1994 and released his 35-foot replica of Bessie in a marshy area near the Huron River and in full-view of passing motorists on SR-2. The sculpture was firmly embraced by the local community and remained in place until 2004 when it mysteriously disappeared following Schofield's death. The marsh area would remain empty for one more year until Schofield's sons stepped up. On Father's Day, the two men payed tribute to their father by building their own sculpture and even gave it its own “baby monster” to keep it company. At last word, the sculpture had been damaged, but no word on if it has been repaired or whether it has managed to stay around this time. As for Huron, Ohio – No lake monster (alive or dead) has ever been turned in for the reward, but the reward is still out there.

Read more tales of Bessie and Huron.

-Casey H.

The Spirits of Mansfield Reformatory

The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio has become well known in paranormal circles for the countless stories of ghosts and strange experiences. Aside from the countless paranormal-themed shows that have covered the tales, the Mansfield Reformatory (as it is more commonly known) has also become something of a training ground for those interested in getting into paranormal investigations. Interestingly, one of the stories of ghosts found in the walls of the former penitentiary got its start on this date 82 years ago.

The story involves former-inmate Philip Orleck who had been earlier paroled and came up with a plan to free a fellow inmate. On November 2, 1926, he put that plan into action. However, it was immediately thwarted when he encountered 72-year-old guard Urban Wilford outside of the West Gate. A struggle broke out and Orleck gunned down Wilford and fled the scene of the crime, abandoning the escape attempt. Authorities later tracked him down two months later and he would be tried and convicted for the murder of the guard. Orleck would later be executed in the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus a year later.

There are several tales of witnesses reporting the scene being replayed out to this day. The usual report involves seeing what appears to be an inmate struggling with a guard near the West Gate of the prison. Interestingly enough, the sighting typically concludes before the fatal shot was fired and the two apparitions simply vanish into thin air before the witnesses's eyes.

November 2 is hardly the only day of the month with ties to the Mansfield Reformatory. The first cornerstone of the structure was laid on November 4, 1886 in a large celebration that would turn out to be short-lived. Due to countless setbacks, it would take another ten years before inmates ever arrived. Another ghost story also has its roots in November. On November 5, 1950, the prison supervisor's wife, Helen Glattke, would dislodge a loaded gun from the top of her closet as she was readying for Sunday morning mass and the gun would hit the ground and fire, hitting her. She would die on November 7 in a nearby hospital. Today, her spirit is said to haunt the superintendent's quarters inside the administration building.

These are only a few of the creepy tales associated with the Ohio State Reformatory. In addition, the facility has also appeared in countless movies (as seen above in a production still of the prison in the upcoming horror movie The Dead Matter - photo courtesy of Midnight Syndicate Films) over the years and is transformed into an annual Halloween haunted attraction in the fall.

Discover more of the dark history of the Mansfield Reformatory.

-Casey H.

Ohio's Forest of Fright

For our adventurous souls that live around Columbus, Ohio, you might want to head out to Muskingum County and the small town of Philo to get your Halloween fix. At the Forest of Fright, you will find a haunted trail and maze set out in the spooky ambience of an Ohio forest - now entering its third year.

Forest of Fright is the brainchild of owner Vicki Bader who fulfilled a lifetime dream of being part of the haunt community with her own little incarnation. The end result is the largest haunted trail and maze in the county that starts with a ride on a school bus that is... what else, but haunted? Visitors then enter the creepy woods that are crawling with insane inmates, killer clowns, and several scenes that will unnerve most guests

Dare a Halloween nighttime stroll through the Forest of Fright.

-Casey H.