Over 30 years ago, crews arrived at the Historic Ohio State Reformatory to film The Shawshank Redemption. Though not a box office hit, the movie has become IMDb’s top-rated movie of all time and put Mansfield on the map as a global destination. The movie also inspired The Shawshank Trail, a self-guided driving tour of iconic filming locations across Richland, Ashland and Wyandot counties.
The trail features 16 well-marked stops, including the Historic Ohio State Reformatory, the cabin from the movie’s opening scene, Brooks’ bird-feeding bench and the mural at the grocery store where Brooks and Red worked. Step into the Shawshank Woodshop in Upper Sandusky to see the world’s largest public collection of props.
Guests can experience the trail at their own pace as they drive by car. Most stops on The Shawshank Trail are free, but the paid prison tour is well worth the admission price and is where most start their journey.
Choose a guided tour or explore the hushed halls of Shawshank Prison at your own pace as you explore the Shawshank Museum, find Andy’s iconic rock hammer and peer into the escape tunnel that led Andy to freedom. Browse the gift shop for souvenirs and extend your stay at the retro-style Hancock Heights, newly opened across the road from the reformatory. Download a virtual guide or request a brochure at shawshanktrail.com to start trailblazing.
- Shawshank Prison, Historic Ohio State Reformatory & Shawshank Museum. 100 Reformatory Rd., Mansfield. Tour the iconic prison.
- Brewer Hotel and Portland Daily Bugle, Bissman Building. 193 N. Main St., Mansfield. Drive by Brooks’ post-prison boarding house.
- Brooks Was Here, Corner of Fifth St. & Main St., Mansfield. Stand where Brooks crossed after his prison release.
- Pawn Shop Window, Mansfield Antiques Gallery. 118 N. Main St., Mansfield. Window shop for treasures like Red.
- Brooks’ Bench, Corner of Main St. (St. Rte. 13) & Park Ave. W., Mansfield. Take a seat at Brooks’ bird feeding spot.
- 1994 Movie Premiere, Renaissance Theatre. 138 Park Ave. W., Mansfield. Check out where the classic film premiered.
- Food-Way, KV Market. 359 W. Fourth St., Mansfield. Imagine Brooks and Red bagging your groceries.
- Road to Buxton, Corner of Snyder & Hagerman roads, Butler. Spot where Red hopped out of the red pickup truck.
- Red’s Bus Ride, Hagerman Rd. & St. Rte. 95, Butler. Follow the post-Shawshank bus route.
- Shawshank Oak Tree, Pleasant Valley Rd., near Malabar Farm State Park. The oak tree may be gone, but the bucolic landscape remains.
- The Hollywood Connection, Malabar Farm State Park. 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas. Tour the same sprawling grounds as the stars.
- Opening Scene, Pugh Cabin at Malabar Farm State Park. See where Andy Dufresne was framed.
- Maine National Bank, Crosby Advisory Group, LLC. 19 W. Main St., Ashland. Glimpse the vault door where “Randall Stevens” kept his money.
- Andy’s Conviction, Wyandot County Courthouse. 109 S. Sandusky Ave., Upper Sandusky. Sit where Andy sat during his fateful murder conviction.
- Shawshank Woodshop. 226 S. Eighth St., Upper Sandusky. Explore the spaces where prisoners worked the day away.
- Zihuatanejo, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Travel south to see where Andy and Red might still be today.
By Tonya Prater