We Clevelanders love a good road trip. With spring break just around the corner, many families are looking forward to the opportunity to take a getaway or two. Even if spring break isn’t on your agenda, you’ve probably noticed that the entirety of Northeast Ohio is overflowing with spectacular attractions. None, however, are as historically spooky as this one interesting site near Cleveland. Buckle up, because you’re about to journey back in time through the eyes of a local criminal.
Welcome to the Historic Sandusky County Jail.
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook Located at 622 Croghan Street, this gorgeous edifice is located just a stone’s throw from downtown Fremont.
Construction on this structure was completed in 1892, and its cornerstone was laid by President Rutherford B. Hayes, a Fremont resident and advocate for prison reform.
Nyttend/Wikimedia Commons
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook Thanks to the influence of President Hayes, this jail was constructed with the fair treatment of prisoners in mind. It featured individual cells that allowed law enforcement officials to separate hardened criminals and murderers from those picked up for petty or minor crimes.
Today, the building serves as an office building, but remnants of its former life still occupy the site.
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook
ORBS Ohio Researchers of Banded Spirits/Facebook After nearly a century of use, the jail’s final prisoners were moved out in 1989. Since 1997, this gorgeous building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its artifacts offer an unrivaled glimpse into a piece of local history that you never realized you wanted to uncover.
And you can actually explore the well-preserved former jail.
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook On select dates beginning in April, you can participate in a 1 hour and 15 minute guided tour of the jail, the Sandusky County Courthouse Dungeon, and the Gallows Exhibition Hall. Though this place has a dark history, tours are still family-friendly.
On the tour, you will encounter some unusual mementos of local history.
WBGUTV/YouTube You’ll see the former gallows (pictured above) that were last used in 1860 to execute a Bellevue murderer. This is just one of the most eye-catching features of the Gallows Exhibition Hall and you will be in awe of the artifacts’ incredible preservation.
The Dungeon is of particular interest to locals, as many believe it is haunted.
WBGUTV/YouTube
Also beginning in April, you can embark on a haunted hunt through the Dungeon with a team of paranormal investigators.
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook The Dungeon Descent is a nighttime adventure that allows you to use modern technology to try to get in touch with spirits from the past. To buy your ticket, click here.
The Dungeon dates back to 1840, and it is amazing to consider the stories we’d hear if its ashlar walls could talk.
WBGUTV/YouTube The Dungeon was constructed in response to the former criminal detainment system that locals had in place. They were locking prisoners in log cabins with dirt floors, and the “jail cabins” were notoriously easy to escape from.
Its rooms housed infamous locals, including a murderer who took his own life in one of the cells.
WBGUTV/YouTube
Are you ready to encounter one of the most unusual perspectives on local history?
Barbara G/TripAdvisor
Then get ready for a road trip, because these incredible tours offer an unforgettable adventure.
WBGUTV/YouTube
Can’t wait to take a tour? Check out this video by WBGUTV for a virtual walk-through of the jail and dungeon:
Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Facebook
Located at 622 Croghan Street, this gorgeous edifice is located just a stone’s throw from downtown Fremont.
Nyttend/Wikimedia Commons
Thanks to the influence of President Hayes, this jail was constructed with the fair treatment of prisoners in mind. It featured individual cells that allowed law enforcement officials to separate hardened criminals and murderers from those picked up for petty or minor crimes.
ORBS Ohio Researchers of Banded Spirits/Facebook
After nearly a century of use, the jail’s final prisoners were moved out in 1989. Since 1997, this gorgeous building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its artifacts offer an unrivaled glimpse into a piece of local history that you never realized you wanted to uncover.
On select dates beginning in April, you can participate in a 1 hour and 15 minute guided tour of the jail, the Sandusky County Courthouse Dungeon, and the Gallows Exhibition Hall. Though this place has a dark history, tours are still family-friendly.
WBGUTV/YouTube
You’ll see the former gallows (pictured above) that were last used in 1860 to execute a Bellevue murderer. This is just one of the most eye-catching features of the Gallows Exhibition Hall and you will be in awe of the artifacts’ incredible preservation.
The Dungeon Descent is a nighttime adventure that allows you to use modern technology to try to get in touch with spirits from the past. To buy your ticket, click here.
The Dungeon was constructed in response to the former criminal detainment system that locals had in place. They were locking prisoners in log cabins with dirt floors, and the “jail cabins” were notoriously easy to escape from.
Barbara G/TripAdvisor
There is so much to do all across the state, but life is most interesting up here on Lake Erie’s coast. Fortunately for us, adventure is hidden everywhere around us. Just imagine the stories we’d hear if walls could talk!
Looking for more creepy fun? There is so much haunted history to explore right here in Cleveland!
Check out these 27 top attractions you can enjoy in Cleveland.
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