Most people do not picture a prison as the ideal backdrop for Christmas, but for the 155,000 men who passed through the Ohio State Reformatory from September 1896 to December 1990, holidays at the prison were a reality.
According to Becky McKinnell, vice president of the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society, Christmas at the Reformatory was a very different experience based on two parties: wardens and inmates. While the wardens and their families were very involved in charity work throughout the community, the inmates were not quite so busy.
“The idea of a reformatory, this is where the word ‘penitentiary’ comes from – repent. Think about your sins,” said McKinnell. “Some of the wardens didn’t do a lot for Christmas because they wanted them to reflect and think back on their past crimes and this was a perfect time to do it.”
After researching newspaper articles and interviewing former inmates, McKinnell was able to paint a picture of holidays at the Reformatory from the 1950s and forward. She stated in the 1950s and 60s, the rules were pretty strict.
“The inmates weren’t allowed to send or receive packages, partially because of security,” McKinnell explained. “But they said the wardens many times would give a one-pound box of chocolates to every inmate, or a bag of hard candy.”
By the late 60s, holiday rules were easing up a little around the prison. Inmates were allowed to send and receive packages, but were only allowed to send handmade presents. McKinnell said they would often send wood-carved toys, drawings and paintings. Inmates were also able to help build toys.
“A lot of the prisoners would have made things in the wood shops. There was an article in the 1970s that they were fixing Toys for Tots,” said McKinnell. “They sent over 300 toys for the inmates to fix, and the inmates kept saying send more.”
The most exciting part of Christmas at the Reformatory was the meal. McKinnell said some years prisoners even got a turkey with all the trimmings. And they always got to watch an extra movie on Christmas, a pastime usually saved for Sundays.
“Whatever day Christmas fell on you got a movie, which was a big deal,” said McKinnell. “And I imagine little things in this place would have been a big deal.”
During a time when some inmates often discouraged their families from visiting due to the sheer volume of visitors, Christmas could be difficult inside the Reformatory.
“As tough as the guys might have been, at Christmas it kind of hit home that they were here without their family,” said McKinnell. “One inmate here in the late 60s said there was a big tree put up in the bullpen and they used to play Christmas carols over the radio station. He said even the biggest, toughest guys in the building would be tearing up.”
These days, the Reformatory has a much warmer holiday tradition that extends to the public as well. For the first time this year, tours of the building have been extended through the holiday season. Guests of the Reformatory are able to walk through the warden’s living quarters to view the formal rooms as they would have been decorated, and tour the cell blocks to learn more about holiday traditions observed by the inmates.
“We want to showcase the building; it’s a gorgeous building and a lot of folks think it’s just a prison, but architecturally it’s amazing,” said McKinnell. “And for some people it may be when they have family in town and they’re not here any other time of year, so we’re trying to expand our season so people have plenty of time to see the building.”
Volunteers, with the help of a handful of sponsors, did all the decorating at the Reformatory: CenturyLink, the Houggy family, J&B Acoustical, Lowe’s in Ontario, Mechanics Bank, Moon Masonry, Spring Electrical Construction, and the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society Board of Trustees.
The Reformatory is open for holiday tours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21. A special event will be held on Friday, Dec. 19 – the showing of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” from 6 to 8:30 p.m., including a late tour, eggnog and a snack bar. All information about holidays at the Reformatory can be found at mrps.org.
