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- Mansfield, Ohio - Stuffed Animal Scenes, Elektro the Robot
Amazing place, in oddball Mecca, Mansfield. I went to see their large collection of Victorian anthropomorphic scenes (stuffed animals getting married, stuffed animal band, etc.). When we got there, the place was swarming with men from Westinghouse who had come to see the recently refurbished Elektro, the oldest U.S. robot (built by Westinghouse in the 1930s). The woman working shooed us into the room because, even though it wasn't yet open to the public, "it would be a shame to miss him." He's not a permanant exhibit, but I know he's been back since. The anthropomorphic displays were awesome, as were the other assorted goodies.
[Brenda, 12/15/2005]Elektro, Robot of Mansfield:RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
- Address:
- 34 Park Ave. W., Mansfield, OH
- Directions:
- Mansfield Memorial Museum. Center of town, just west of US Hwy 42 on the north side of Park Ave.
- Hours:
- April-Oct. Sa 10-4, Su 12-4 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 419-525-2491
- Admission:
- Donation
- RA Rates:
- Major Fun
- Mansfield, Ohio - Ohio State Reformatory Tours
The Mansfield Reformatory, prime choice for movie prison location shooting, offers three exciting tours:
- Tower Tour - Explore the East Cell Block, then wind your way to the top of a guard tower. Visit the Catholic Chapel high up in the Central Block.
- Dungeon Tour - Venture into the dark and dingy "Hole" in the detention wing. Wander through strange and narrow basement corridors. Check out the mysterious "Hot Box." Hear the story of the seven-foot Jesus.
- Hollywood Tour - See the Shawshank Warden's Office and Andy Dufresne's escape tunnels. Hazard a trip into the sinister "Hole". View the 1886 West Cell Block used as a Russian prison in Air Force One.
All tours get to view the replica Electric Chair and visit the museum and gift shop. More info at: www.mrps.org
[Roadsideamerica.com Team, 04/04/2004]Mansfield Reformatory: Shawshank Redemption Prison:RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
- Address:
- 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH
- Directions:
- Historic Ohio State Reformatory. North of town. I-71 exit 176 onto US 30 west. After about three miles, exit north onto Hwy 545/Olivesburg Rd. The Reformatory is just over the hill on the left hand side, on a side street named Reformatory Rd.
- Hours:
- Gates open April-Sep. Th-Su 11-4 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 419-522-2644
- Admission:
- Adults $15.
- RA Rates:
- Major Fun
- Mansfield, Ohio - Living Bible Museum
The Living Bible Museum is, to put it mildly, growing -- all the better for weary pilgrims in search of spiritual revelations in wax. In addition to increasing the size of the New and Old Testament Tours, they have added a third tour -- this time of Christian Catacombs...of DOOM! An upcoming tour of wax saints means that The Living Bible Museum is well on it's way to securing a name for itself as the Smithsonian of Religious Wax figures museums.
It must be said that the wonderful people at the LBM are extremely sincere and you'd do best to keep your ironic detachment in check. A little surprised to see a 21 and 22 year old couple dressed in 'trendy New York clothes,' the cashier lady asked us how we heard about LBM. When we showed her The New Roadside America she became excited, but we refused to let her read the review, since we didn't want to break her heart. Instead, she gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of a new diorama, telling us how 'God inspired the artist to choose this fake plastic dove over a fake plastic cardinal.'
[Japhy Grant, 08/26/2002]BibleWalk and Living Bible Museum:RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
- Address:
- 500 Tingley Ave., Mansfield, OH
- Directions:
- I-71 to the US 30 exit. US 30 west to the 5th Ave. exit. 5th Ave. north about a half-mile, then left on Tingley Ave. Diamond Hill Cathedral is on the left.
- Hours:
- Summer Tu-Sa 10-5, hours and days vary off-season. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 419-524-0139
- Admission:
- Adults $6.50/ $38 for all 7 tours
- RA Rates:
- The Best
Prisons Just Keep On Giving To America's Towns
Mansfield, OH, has launched a $1.5 million community fund-raising drive to turn its prison into a tourist attraction. The 100-year-old Mansfield Reformatory was closed in 1990 and houses the world's largest free-standing steel cellblock. The Shawshank Redemption was filmed there, but Hollywood can make only so many prison movies, and Mansfield apparently needs cash now.
Mansfield is also home to another attraction only a few blocks away -- the superlative Living Bible Museum. And to conjure a complete civic image, remember this is the same town where in 1959 and 1963 witnesses reported a luminous, green-eyed, seven-foot-tall seemingly armless humanoid came out of Charles Mill Lake and left behind "tracks that resembled the footgear worn by divers."
[07/07/2001]- Mansfield, Ohio - Ohio State Reformatory - more info
The 1976 movie "Harry & Walter go to New York", starring James Caan, was the first movie filmed at the reformatory. Last year, the band Godsmack filmed a music video for the song "Awake" at the reformatory.
[Brett Barnett, 01/07/2001]
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