HER, REALTORS® is excited to announce a brand new expansion into this famous small Ohio town where one of the greatest films in American history was filmed: The Shawshank Redemption. Mansfield, OH is the home to that film, and the old Ohio State Reformatory where it was filmed, and also where you can  take a ghost tour of the facility. More information on that is below.

This HER community office is led by Kimberly Bennett, whose focus is all on her clientele and meeting their needs. Not only are we excited to introduce you to this gorgeous new office space, where the new agents are lining up waiting to show you your dream home, we are also excited for you to learn more about Mansfield, OH, and why it is such a great community to move to!

Ms. Kelly Bennett and the team of agents at the Mansfield HER Realty office are ecstatic about this new edition, and some of the takeaways they are anticipating like-minded agents to run a fun and positive office. Bennett also strives to make her clients happy no matter what part of Ohio, or the country, they are moving from. In this article, we’ll discuss:

• Mansfield’s History and Future
• Top Places to Go in Mansfield
• How HER, REALTORS® Continues to Provide Exceptional Service

Mansfield’s History and Future

Mansfield Has a Bright Outlook

The town of Mansfield was named after the famed Surveying General of the United States, Colonel Jared Mansfield. Mansfield has also associated itself with other famed names, such as John Chapman, or better known as Johnny Appleseed, and Pulitzer Prize winning author, Louis Bromfield.

Growing up, the fields which Chapman had planted and fertilized had stretched out to the stream valleys that course through Mansfield and Loudonville. Many of the orchards and fields Chapman, otherwise known as Appleseed, can still be found in Mansfield and the surrounding county. As for Bromfield, he spent much of his childhood at his aunt’s home in Oak Hill, one of Mansfield’s neighborhoods. His aunt’s gothic-style home, built in 1847, was the inspiration for “Shane’s Castle” behind the famous novel, The Green Bay Tree.

Mansfield had been a huge influence during the industrial age, including the Tappan company, which helped produce the most iron to help make farm tools and kitchen appliances, such as stoves. The biggest company coming out of Mansfield was Westinghouse, which specialized in electric lighting and home appliances. Unfortunately, right as soon as the depression hit, the companies that helped produce these products saw a decline in domestic production, and instead saw many international calls that garnered cheaper rates for companies that sought reasonable labor work for cheap.

The town of Mansfield has many places to visit, eat, and play, it’s hard to pick which to check out first. Luckily, we have curated a list of the best places to visit, including the old Ohio State Sanctuary.

With their office expansion, Bennett strives to make the home buying process easy, and with them being client focused, they are determined to get to know your style and set you off on the right neighborhood to check out while in Mansfield.

Top Places to Go in Mansfield

Why Should You Move to This Great Community?

Mansfield is the perfect community to raise a family, spend the day, or start a business. In addition to the new HER, REALTORS® office, there are a number of businesses and shops in Mansfield worth stopping by -- not to mention the Carousel Theater District and The Cofe Coffee Shop, a retro coffee shop.

Old Ohio State Reformatory Ghost Tour

The most famous fact about Mansfield is that the ‘90’s classic, The Shawshank Redemption was made inside of the Ohio State Reformatory. If you are a huge film buff, you should take advantage of their “History Meets Hollywood” tour where you will get a behind-the-scenes tour of the making of the most favorite film in the world. If you are lucky enough, you might hear a personal story from one of the tour guides.

There is more to the Ohio State Reformatory, such as the paranormal. Built between 1886 and 1910, and open until 1990, this old building has many stories to tell, and if these walls could talk, they would talk for hours of the history and events that went down in between these walls.  Ghost hunting is a fun activity for all, but this one is only recommended for those who are eighteen years of age and up. As for right now, the only types of tours that are offered are self-guided tours. If you are a novice or a veteran ghost hunter, you should consider taking a walk through the halls of the Ohio State Reformatory, and discover not only the history, but the terrifying ghosts that haunt it.

Mid-Ohio Raceway

Located just outside of Mansfield, OH, the Mid-Ohio Raceway is a fun family-centered place, especially for those with a competitive spirit. Cheer on your favorite drivers as they participate in several different events held throughout the mid to late-Summer months. On your way out of the raceway, don’t forget to pick up a souvenir!

Malabar Farms at Ohio State Park

Malabar Farms is famous for many reasons, especially as a setting for many famous books, films, and plays. Malabar Farms is located right inside of Ohio State Park, and is situated near plenty of hiking trails, like the Doris Duke Woods Trails, which meanders through one hundred and eighty acres of woodland habitat. The trail is named after the tobacco heiress, Doris Duke, who had purchased the woodlot after Bromfield’s death in 1956. Each trail is labeled with a distinct color to help guide you, and will even have you cross over with several others as well.

As for the farm, the farm animals are scattered throughout, and have been grazing on over three hundred acres of pasture since the 1940’s. During your walk along the trails around the farm, you may catch a glimpse of one of the many wild animals that congregate the area, such as hawks and deer. If you are here between March and May, you might get a chance to watch a birth and meet a new addition to the farm.

Carrousel District‍

No matter what part of downtown you visit, or what time of year it is, there always seems to be something going on in the Carrousel District. With many shops and restaurants to choose from, the options can be endless. As far as shops go, we recommend checking out John’s Hobby Shop, which is located right in the downtown area. For more information on stores to browse through, we recommend checking the downtown’s directory.

Of course, with every town that shows up as the most anticipated town to move to, the most important question is, how is the food? To answer the question for you: it is the best you will have in any town. We recommend checking out the Coney Island Inn, a traditional diner where the featured dish is the famous coney dog. For more tasty finds, we recommend checking the downtown’s dining directory.

How HER, REALTORS® Continues to Provide Exceptional Service During Covid-19

Since HER, REALTORS® was founded in 1956, they’ve continued to provide excellent services and are consistently recognized as the country’s most innovative, advanced, and award-winning firms. However, much has changed since the business began in 1956, and due to the Covid-19 outbreak, a lot of new creative ways to interact with clients, and still help others buy and sell homes, HER Realty has taken a new approach to how they want to deliver their appointments, especially if there doesn’t need to be any close contact with others.

Realtors are an important part of successful real estate transactions, and so, with the powerful minds of Kimberly Bennett and her team, they are now helping their clients more than ever before with a new socially distanced real estate process. Now, there might be some questions you have about this new refined process, such as: how do you buy or sell during a pandemic? The realtors in the Mansfield HER, REALTORS® office have the answers to those types of questions. Virtual transactions and virtual tours are helping buyers and sellers to stay on track and meet their real estate goals.

HER, REALTORS® offers a full range of services including, but not limited to, residential and commercial real estate sales, property management services, title services, insurance, and so much more. HER, REALTORS®’ ability to help deliver the best services to each customers’ needs is proven especially during this pandemic, enabling them to go all out for their clients.

A big part of continuing Mansfield’s economic growth lies in the focus on clients needs and also the movement of real estate, which is what Bennett and her team does best, especially during a pandemic. When it comes to deciding how to sell your house during a pandemic, HER, REALTORS® have answers to the questions you need answered.

With Kimberly Bennett’s help in the Mansfield office, the HER Realtor legacy will continue strong with providing the exceptional customer service and community support they strive to do each and every day.