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Warren Rupp Observatory is one of the world's largest amateur-operated telescopes. It is nestled in a pastoral setting that boasts some of the darkest skies in the state. The Rupp Scope and the Richland Astronomical Society dedicate themselves to public awareness of astronomy. Public Nights are held on the first Saturday of each month, from March through November and special programs are offered on alternative weekends. If weather permits, you can look through the big telescope and smaller ones that people bring.
Warren Rupp Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Richland Astronomical Society. Built in 1985, it is located on the Friendly House Hidden Hollow Camp south of Mansfield, Ohio, United States.
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A 32-room Western Reserve style house built in 1939 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield who lived there till his death in 1956. He wrote many of his books, attracted film stars, artists, politicians, writers, and conservationists. Bromfield also hosted Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's wedding and honeymoon at Malabar Farm in 1945. While in town James Whitmore (Brooks) and Clancy Brown (Captain Hadley) were taken on a personal tour of the Big House at Malabar Farm by local tour guides.
The Miller's house, mentioned in the Pleasant Valley collection of ghost stories, was the 19th-century home of a young, mentally challenged girl named Ceely Rose. In 1896, Ceely Rose murdered her three-person family by poisoning their food with arsenic. Annually in October, the Ceely Rose Play is performed in the park's timber frame barn, as part of a ghost story trilogy. The other two plays are Phoebe Wise and Louie. In 2014, an episode of Ghost Hunters was filmed at the Ceely Rose House
In 1976, Malabar became an Ohio State Park. Dedicated to perpetuating Bromfield's farming philosophies, preserving the Big House artifacts, providing a place where visitors can explore life on the farm and beauty of nature. The following are some historic places of interest within the park, a couple of which were filming locations for Shawshank Redemption in 1993 (the marker is at Bromfield & Pleasant Hill Rd, the main entrance into the park from the north):
Equestrian Valley Farm
Take a trail ride on horseback on an historic Mohican style farm, established in 1815. The house, built in 1825, overlooks the pond and adjacent pastures. This 200-acre farm has trails on scenic rolling hills through open pastures and beautiful forests.
The u-pick blueberry season is open from early July to early September and the u-pick raspberry season is open from mid August to frost. The Blueberry Patch has a gift shop, blossoms cafe, greenhouse and a nursery.
The second oldest, and largest continually producing community theater in Ohio, the Mansfield Playhouse has been in its current location for over 40 years. With an aggressive season consisting of 6 Main Stage shows, 2 Youth Theater shows, and 2 Second Stage shows.