By C1 Staff
MANSFIELD, Ohio — The facility featured in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ is escaping demolition to instead become a tourist attraction.
The Ohio State Reformatory, also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, was an actual prison until 1990, and was due to be demolished to make way for a parking garage, according to FOX News.
In 1994, the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society purchased the site for $1 with the understanding that it would rever to the state if progress wasn’t made to turn it into a viable tourist site.
Last year, the site drew up to 80,000 visitors, and held a celebration marking the film’s 20th anniversary that included a 40’s themed cocktail party.
Other popular events at the site include mystery dinners, Halloween haunts and festivals, along with ghost hunting activities. The place is believed to be haunted by several inmates who died during their incarceration.
The facility will receive further enhancements over the next six months, including being cleaned, decorated, having huge cathedral windows added and heating to make it waterproof for tourists.
The site has also been used in scenes for “Air Force One” and “Tango and Cash.”