The Ohio State Reformatory: Chairs

One thing that JMP and I kept noticing as we toured the Ohio State Reformatory was all of the chairs. In almost every room that we entered, there was a chair—almost always alone and almost always a different style. I seem to always notice chairs when I'm in abandoned spaces—like the Ellis Island Hospital complex or the creepy dentist chair in the Staten Island hospital—and they add so much character and feeling to otherwise lifeless spaces.

A lone chair sets such a lonely scene, suggesting that a space's inhabitants simply got up and left, but at the same time suggesting that they may one day return. They humanize empty spaces and provide much-needed scale. We wondered if they were placed deliberately, and if so, we commend the chair-placer on duty that day—every one we came across was better than the last.

The variety of different styles kept us searching for more, and every time we found a new one we were thrilled. I'm always on the verge of becoming overwhelmed by incredible places like the Reformatory, and searching for specific things helps me stay focused. I only regret that I didn't happen to catch a ghost relaxin' in one of the chairs—catching an elusive JMP, however, was equally satisfying.