Ohio is full of unexpected hidden gems and really neat places to explore. The J.M. Smucker Company Store and Cafe in Orville, Ohio is a truly special place that's worth a day trip. It's a fun destination the whole family will love to explore. With so much more than fruit spreads and peanut butter, you'll be absolutely delighted.
Check it out:
For more than 100 years, this beloved brand has given families all across the U.S. high-quality products that are unbelievably delicious.
Here in Ohio, we're lucky to have our very own J.M. Smucker Company Store and Cafe. It's a picture perfect destination that's so much more than a store.
Rows and rows of fruit spreads, coffee, peanut butter, ice cream toppings, pancake mix, syrup, baking products and more line the walls of this destination store.
While you're there, you'll notice some truly unique decor, like this neat chandelier made from several jars of the famous fruit spread we all know and love.
You'll also get to learn all about the history of the company and the different brands. It's fascinating to see how the family favorite products have evolved overtime.
There's also a cafe on site that serves all kinds of delicious goodies. You'll want to stay for lunch. (And don't forget to check out the ice cream bar.)
Before you leave, you'll also want to check out the gift baskets. They're perfect for any special occasion when you're looking for a unique, memorable gift.
The J M Smucker Company Store & Cafe is located at 333 Wadsworth Rd., Orrville, OH 44667. Have you ever been here before? If so, we want to know what your experience was like!
Rumor Has It the Ohio State Reformatory Is One of the Most Haunted Places in the US
Known for its role in "The Shawshank Redemption," there's so much more to discover at the Ohio State Reformatory... including paranormal activity and ghost sightings.
When I was six years old, I had my first ghost encounter. Ironically, this happened at my church.
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My mom was very active in our church and this meant many evenings tagging along while she worked on various committees and projects. I loved wandering the halls when it was so quiet, sneaking into offices and wandering down the pews in the pulpit and choir loft. It felt like my very own secret playground.
That is, until the night I encountered what I later learned to be the church ghost.
I was in a hallway bathroom -- a small space with two stalls and an adjoining room where choir members often changed. I had just sat down when the toilet next to me flushed. There was no one else there, so I bravely said Hello?
After a pregnant pause, the toilet flushed again. I've never hightailed it out of a place as quickly as I did on that fateful evening. I ran into the room where my mom was; she was with a fellow church member prepping for the fall rummage sale. When I explained what had happened, that fellow church member replied, "Oh, yes, that's the church ghost. She's friendly."
She went on to explain that, a hundred years ago when the church had just been built along what was then a one-lane road, there was a head-on collision between two cars. The driver of the first car died instantly, as did the driver of the other car -- but he wasn't alone. His wife was also in the car, gravely injured but able to crawl out of the vehicle and make her way into the church pulpit, where she peacefully passed away.
Today, explained my mom's friend, the ghost roamed the halls of our church but was friendly; she often played with lights and, yes, plumbing, gently reminding folks that she was there.
She may have been friendly, but that was the last time I roamed the halls of my church alone. I never went to the bathroom alone, either... the idea of a paranormal presence really freaked me out. This experience has stuck with me over the years, keeping me far, far away from anywhere even remotely haunted. Like, say, the Ohio State Reformatory.
Whether you live in Ohio or not, you're probably familiar with the Ohio State Reformatory. Not only did this former reformatory play a key role in "The Shawshank Redemption," but it's also considered to be one of the most haunted places in the U.S.
I've lived in Ohio most of my life but had never visited this iconic institution until recently. But on a recent weekend in early fall, just as the leaves were beginning to change and the air carried that faint smell of backyard bonfires, I left my cozy corner of southwest Ohio and headed east to see this mysterious, manmade marvel in person. I wasn't prepared for just how uncanny and, yes, haunting, the Ohio State Reformatory is in person.
Welcome to Only In Your State’s newest series, Rumor Has It, where we celebrate the local rumors – fact and fiction – that make America unique.
Also known as the Mansfield Reformatory or simply the Ohio Reformatory, the Ohio State Reformatory opened in 1886 and is nearly 130 years old.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
This prison closed in 1990 and during its 100+ year tenure, 154,000 inmates called the Ohio State Reformatory home. Among its many claims to fame, the reformatory is home to the world’s tallest freestanding steel cell block: six tiers, 12 ranges, and 600 cells. A reformatory cell would have contained a desk, a stool, two footlockers, and two bunk beds, ephemera that can be viewed during a tour (more on that in a bit).
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First, the layout: you might notice that cells in the West Cell Block are slightly larger than cells in the East Cell Block; both eventually housed two inmates each due to overcrowding. Something you'll notice, as I did, is how much smaller the reformatory is in person. Don't get me wrong – it's a striking structure that certainly commands respect – but in person, the halls are tight and cells impossibly small. It's very difficult to imagine thousands of folks calling this place "home" at any given time.
The smallness of this space makes it all the more terrifying.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
The reformatory was especially overcrowded in the 1920s (hello, Prohibition), and space became even tighter in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The highest committed crimes of inmates at the reformatory during this time period were robbery, burglary, larceny, and car theft. The average annual population in 1934 was 3,500 men; the prison was originally built to house 2,000 inmates, max.
Fitting so many men in a single area created a pressure cooker kind of situation, fueling tensions and sparking fights that ultimately led to inmate deaths. Violent, tortured deaths. The most infamous tale of the prison involves "the hole," a small cell wherein prisoners were held for three days as punishment. Several sources have reported that at one time, there were two inmates held in "the hole" – and by the end of the three days, one did not make it out alive.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
Given its sordid history, it's no surprise the reformatory has captured the imaginations of many, including Hollywood. "The Shawshank Redemption" was famously filmed here, and Steven King's story couldn't have had a more appropriate setting.
Fast-forward to the 1980s, when these inhumane conditions finally forced the closure of the Ohio State Reformatory; remaining prisoners were moved to the nearby Mansfield Correctional Institution. Due to its age and crumbling condition, the future of the Ohio State Reformatory was uncertain, but in 1995, the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society was formed, opening the doors of this former prison to the public.
Today, film fans can explore the reformatory on a tour – guide-led or self-guided – and visit the official Shawshank Museum. The museum boasts five rooms of props, costumes, set pieces, and other treasures from the film: the safe in Warden Norton’s office, Red’s Parole Board room, Andy’s escape tunnels, and more. My film-loving partner was a big fan of the museum... I, however, found myself ruminating on the past.
Sarah McCosham/Only In Your State
Wandering through the halls and peeking into the cells was an unsettling experience. Having seen "The Shawshank Redemption," I was familiar with the building's layout, but the "mood" of the Ohio State Reformatory is something entirely different. If you're like me and you have an overactive imagination, be prepared to have your thoughts running amok and your mind playing tricks with you...
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What was that noise?
Did that light just flicker?
Were those footsteps behind me?
This brings me to why: Why visit the Ohio State Reformatory?
As with all of the adventures we share on Only In Your State, the experience is the why. We can describe a beautiful canyon or historic site, but there's only so much words and photos can convey. The feeling – that deep-in-your-bones, hair-raising unease – of a place like the Ohio State Reformatory; it's an experience.
If ever you've dreamed of soaring through the treetops at exhilarating speeds, we've got just the destination in mind, and it might just be the best zip line in Ohio.
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Located on 30 acres just outside of Oberlin, Ohio, Common Ground Canopy Tours is part of a remarkable non-profit organization that features one of the most enthralling zip line canopy tours in the state. The 2.5-hour guided tour includes several zip lines, an exciting series of sky bridges and platforms, and a final rappel at the end. No matter your age, you'll find yourself delighted by the opportunity to soar through the trees and challenge yourself in this naturally beautiful environment. Here's more on this thrilling zip line in Ohio that you need to experience:
Attention all adventurers! There's a breathtaking zip line canopy tour tucked away in Ohio's Vermilion River Valley and it's the perfect outing for the whole family.
The tour begins with a helpful demonstration by your guide, who will offer insight, knowledge, and support for the entirety of this 2.5-hour adventure.
So whether you're looking for an excuse to enjoy the natural beauty of Ohio's Vermilion River Valley or seeking out a memorable adventure, you'll be glad you visited Common Ground.
