The End of the Penitentiary

- In 1995, the State of Ohio sold the Old Ohio Penitentiary to the City of Columbus. The city then leased the grounds to Nationwide Mutual Insurance and The Dispatch Printing Co.

- The penitentiary was demolished to make way for new developments.

- The preservationist community started a campaign to save at least five historical buildings on Spring Street. However, the effort failed and the penitentiary was demolished.

March 1997, fifteen of the Ohio Penitentiary buildings fell to the wrecking ball.

January 1998, the roof has been knocked in and most of the administration building is gone.

A cellblock is demolished; the floor and individual cells are visible.

The hollowed-out interior of the prison.

Reference

Henderson, Andrew. (2002). Forgotten Columbus. Images of America.

“The Ohio Penitentiary - History.” (August 4, 2008). Retrieved May 21, 2010, from http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/inst/ohiopen.htm