Roseville Prison | Ohio’s Strange Abandoned Prison

Last Updated on September 24, 2019 by Urbex Underground

If you’re from southern Ohio than you probably have heard of an odd prison that sits empty and decaying just off of state route 93.

Many rumors of hauntings and a women in white circulate this small prison in Roseville, but the truth is unfortunately a lot less cinematic.

The guard tower still stands tall to keep a watchful eye on the property, as do the now current owners.

But the prison wasn’t always abandoned.

Roseville prison was built to help house the growing inmate population during the early 1900s. Inmates housed in the Ohio Penitentiary over in Columbus who behaved were often moved over to Roseville due to good behavior.

These inmates worked brickworks factories and produces all the bricks needed to construct their new home, Roseville Prison.

The prisoners made roughly 30,000 bricks a day, many which had the words “convict made” etched into them. I can’t imagine literally building my own jail cell, but I guess it beats staying inside all day.

In 1966 the prison closed it’s doors due to decline in population and was donated to Muskingum County.

The land as well as the prison were auctioned off and purchased by Linda Gebhart in 2007 for just under $90,000.

The property is now used for storage by a trucking company.

The current owner is constantly kicking people off the property.

“This is our home..We do not want individuals coming onto our property, taking pictures without permission.”

Gebhart-Taggert via Southeast Ohio Magazine

Explore at your own risk. Or ask ahead of time if you want to take some photos.

While I high doubt any of the rumors of a ghost lady in white throwing herself off the tower are true, there’s still no doubt that Roseville prison will remain an oddity in the small Ohio town.