Mansfield and Richland County, Ohio has some pretty great angles, so we put together a list of the most iconic places you must snap on your next visit. Make sure to get our good side – these are some of the most insta-worthy spots in Richland County!
OHIO STATE REFORMATORY
Make your first stop The Ohio State Reformatory. This world-famous decommissioned prison has some serious character, Hollywood connections, and reported encounters with the paranormsl. The prison is one of the area’s 16 filming sites from the movie The Shawshank Redemption. Before you enter, get a picture of the iconic façade. The thick stone walls and imposing towers will remind you that this was a fortress. The castle-like prison probably intimidated many inmates on their way in. Now it will have all your friends asking, “Where is this?”
#ICONIC: The Facade
Take a self-guided tour of the prison where you can explore at your own pace. Make sure to grab a snapshot of the cell-block. Creepy vibes aside, this is the world’s tallest freestanding steel cell block. It consists of six tiers, 12 ranges, and 600 cells.
#CANNOTMISS: The Cell block
You’re in a prison after all, guests love to get a photo behind bars. Just make sure you don’t fully close any of the cell doors. Many of the keys have been lost over time, so if you get locked in, it may take a while to get you out.
#EXTRA: Behind Bars
RICHLAND CARROUSEL PARK
If you’re looking for more charm (and fewer ghosts), make the Richland Carrousel Park your next stop in Richland County. The park opened in 1991 in downtown Mansfield as the first new, hand-carved wooden carrousel built and operated in the United States since the 1930’s. In the summer, the garage door windows are opened, and the sounds of a Stinson band organ fill the streets of downtown Mansfield’s carrousel district. Make sure to get a picture of big smiles as your little ones ride one of the 30 horses and 22 menagerie figures round and round.
#ICONIC: The Carrousel
KINGWOOD CENTER GARDENS
A short drive from downtown Mansfield, Kingwood Center Gardens is renowned for its beautiful, French Provincial mansion and its 47 acres of stunning floral displays. The mansion and former home of businessman Charles Kelley King doesn’t have a bad side. You can get great photos of the house by walking up through the allee – a long, emerald green lawn flanked by tulips, daffodils, annuals, and flowering trees and shrubs.
#ICONIC: Kingwood Hall
Afterwards, take a walk around to the opposite side of the house. Kingwood Hall looks equally stunning from the south lawn, which has become a favorite for wedding receptions among local brides. But let’s be honest. The real stars of Kingwood Center Gardens have feathers and they aren’t afraid to let you know it. With a piercing call and iridescent plumage, the peacocks demand attention wherever they go. They roost at the duck pond, but they can be found almost anywhere on the grounds.
#CANNOTMISS: The Peacocks
For the $5 per person admission price to Kingwood Center Gardens, engagement, maternity, family, and senior portraits are allowed in the gardens. It’s recommended that you or your photographer contact the event coordinator to check the garden’s availability. The greenhouse really brings the charm, and it seems to be a favorite among photographers for portraits and senior photos. You’ll enter the greenhouse through the orangery which features lush greenery and a beautiful sitting area.
Further into the greenhouse you’ll find a room of tropical displays with several hundred varieties of plants, but there’s nothing more insta-approved than succulents. The succulent house features several hundred old world and new world plants in every share and size.
#EXTRA: The Greenhouse and Courtyard
Just outside the greenhouse, a u-shaped network of buildings which include the Carriage House, Workshop, and Exhibit Hall, form a beautiful courtyard. With the sound of a bubbling fountain in the air, the courtyard garden is the best place to enjoy a picnic lunch or celebrate tying the knot.
MALABAR FARM STATE PARK
If you’re looking for more places for insta-worthy wedding photos, Malabar Farm State Park in Lucas, Ohio doesn’t want for country charm. The white-walled and green-roofed farmhouse was home to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield. The “Big House” has become iconic as the location where Hollywood stars Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married. Make sure to grab a photo at the feet of the twin floating staircases that Lauren Bacall descended on her wedding day.
#ICONIC: The Big House & Floating Staircase
While you’re there, make sure to head to Mt. Jeez. Look for the sign on Pleasant Valley Road just East of the turn for Malabar Farm. Follow the winding road to the top and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of the rolling countryside and a superior overlook of Malabar Farm. You can see three counties from the top.
#CANNOTMISS: Mt Jeez
Before you leave, Malabar Farm is home to several furry and feathered residents. We think you’ll agree they’re quite photogenic!
#EXTRA: Cute Critters
MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE
There’s nothing like the energy of live motorsports and a race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is no exception. This nationally-recognized road course is a favorite for both fans and drivers. Most race fans have a favorite spot around the track to view racing, including the “keyhole” or “carrousel”, but one of the hottest spots on this iconic track is what’s called the “esses”. This favorite vantage point allows the fans to see the cars coming off the powerful “straight-away” section heading into the curvy “esses”. To get here, just head to the infield and look for the yellow-roofed building. Bring your portable bag chairs and sit on the hill in front of this building for views of the action. Share a picture of cars coming thru the turn or better yet a shot of you with the cars and track in the background!
#ICONIC: The “Esses”
The best place to capture the atmosphere of a race weekend is in the paddock and garages at Mid-Ohio. The track offers some of the best opportunities to get close to famous cars and drivers. You can see a famous driver with his car in the paddock and look down into garage bays from a second-floor viewing spot during IndyCar and other events.
#EXTRA: Paddock and Garages
There you have it, some of the most iconic, insta-worthy spots in Mansfield and Richland County. When sharing your photos, make sure to use the hashtag #DestinationMansfield so we can see your amazing snapshots. Stay tuned for the next part of our Insta-worthy Richland County series where we’ll be sharing some of the best spots around the area for #foodies to get their gram on.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
Did we miss one? Do you have a spot you consider to be ICONIC in Richland County that visitors should know about? Share it with us at info@destinationmansfield.com