12 Hauntingly Beautiful Abandoned Places in Ohio

Exploring Ohio’s Abandoned Landmarks

Some of Ohio’s most interesting spots are the ones everyone already forgot about. These 12 abandoned spots – from dead malls to forgotten mansions – are a master class in beautiful decay.

The Gothic Prison That Became a Movie Set

The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield opened in 1886 and held over 155,000 inmates until it closed in 1990. The prison’s limestone walls and iron details show how architects once believed building design could help reform inmates.

Inside, you’ll see huge cell blocks, a chapel with old wooden pews, and a dark solitary confinement area called ‘The Hole.’ The prison became famous when Hollywood used it to film ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’

Today, you can take tours, and ghost hunters often report strange activities in the guard room and west wing.

The Ammunition Factory Along the River

The Peters Cartridge Factory in Kings Mills made bullets and shells for both World Wars. The brick buildings include a tall tower where workers made bullets by dropping hot lead through sieves.

People with metal detectors often find old shells and casings in the ground near the factory. While parts of the building are now apartments, much of the old factory remains untouched.

The Underground Train System That Never Ran

Cincinnati has almost two miles of unused subway tunnels under its streets. Workers started building them in 1920 but stopped in 1925 when costs got too high.

The tunnels still have their original tiles, track beds, and station platforms exactly as workers left them. While the subway never carried passengers, the tunnels now hold water pipes and internet cables. Few people get to see these tunnels, but sometimes the city offers guided tours.

The Factory Where Appliances Were Born

The Westinghouse Electric Plant in Mansfield made household appliances until it closed in 1990. Big windows let light into the huge production floors where thousands of workers once made appliances.

Old cranes used to hang from the ceiling, and while the building’s water tower used to stand tall above the complex. Though the site is now undergoing demolition and redevelopment, the old building shows how important manufacturing once was to Ohio’s economy.

The Island Winery Built Like a Castle

Lonz Winery sits on Middle Bass Island and looks like a German castle overlooking Lake Erie. Built in 1942, it has stone towers and battlements that make it stand out against the sky.

Under the building, workers dug caves into the rock to store wine bottles at cool temperatures. The winery closed in 2000 after part of it collapsed, but Ohio’s park service saved the historic front of the building. The old wine caves remain mostly intact beneath the structure.

The Star-Gazing Station on Taylor Road

Warner and Swasey built their observatory in East Cleveland in 1920 to study the stars. The Art Deco building has two copper domes that once held powerful telescopes. Case Western Reserve University used the observatory until the city lights got too bright for stargazing.

Though now empty and damaged by weather, you can still see the building’s unique design and the remains of its scientific equipment. The copper domes have turned green with age but still catch your eye from the street.

The Victorian House That Started Ghost Stories

The Mudhouse Mansion near Lancaster stood empty for over 80 years before workers tore it down in 2015. Built in the 1870s, this Victorian home had seven bedrooms and detailed wooden stairs.

The mansion’s design mixed different architectural styles and included a wraparound porch and fancy roof tiles. Many ghost stories and local legends grew up around the empty building. Though the mansion is gone, photos preserve its memory.

The Workshop That Built Steam Engines

Lima Locomotive Works made nearly 8,000 steam engines between 1882 and 1951. Its main workshop could fit 20 locomotives at once, and huge cranes could lift 250 tons. The foundry still has its old furnaces where workers melted iron for engine parts.

You can see rusty test tracks where engineers tried out new locomotives. A large turntable that helped move engines around remains in place. The complex shows how Ohio helped power America’s railroads.

The Old Amusement Park Being Reclaimed by Nature

Chippewa Lake Park entertained visitors from 1878 to 1978. The wooden roller coaster from 1924 still stands, though trees now grow through it. The old Ferris wheel hasn’t moved in decades, and birds nest in its cars.

Wild plants grow on the dance floor of the 1924 ballroom, and you can still see where the carousel once stood. The park’s century-long run made it one of America’s oldest amusement parks.

The Shopping Center That Once Set Records

Randall Park Mall opened in 1976 and was known as the world’s biggest shopping center at that time. It had over two million square feet of stores and a glass dome.

A famous architect designed its main court, which had a big fountain. The mall closed in 2009, and workers demolished most of it in 2014. Before the demolition, weeds grew in the parking lot while the stores sat empty inside.

The Radio Factory With Art Deco Style

The Crosley Building in Cincinnati once made more radios than any other factory in the world. Built in 1929, it has eight floors and decorative stone carvings that look like radio waves.

The building’s tower held radio equipment, and its laboratories tested early TV technology. You can still see the company logo on the floor of the main showroom. The outside walls use special limestone carved with lightning bolt designs.

The Church That Watched Cleveland Change

St. Peter and Paul Church in Cleveland was built in 1910. German craftsmen made its stained glass windows showing Bible stories in colored glass. The church’s tall spire holds an old clock that ran for 143 years until the building closed in 2010.

Rain has damaged parts of the church, but its wooden altars and pipe organ are still there. The building shows how Cleveland’s neighborhoods have changed over time.