These Hollywood Movie Locations Are Surprisingly Close to Illinois

During a road trip through Ohio last week, I unexpectedly came across the locations where a couple of iconic movies were filmed. Neither of which is set in Ohio.

A Movie Fan's Road Trip Through Ohio

The best movie memories aren't found on a film lot in Hollywood. They're found on a drive through the Midwest, where you can get remarkably close to two recognizable pieces of cinema history.

On a recent visit to Cleveland, I discovered one of those locations: the house from A Christmas Story. The movie's story is set in a fictional Indiana town, but the Cleveland neighborhood was the stand-in location used for the filming.

You Can Actually Tour Ralphie's House

Ever since the 1983 movie used the Cleveland house at 3159 W. 11th Street for the film, it has become a year-round attraction where guests can tour the Parker family's home and visit the neighboring Bumpus House, made famous by the family's collection of dogs and the unforgettable turkey scene.

@johnnyvradio1 Visiting the location where the greatest night in baseball happened on a Wednesday in 2016. And the “A Christmas Story” House. #cubs #rockandroll #cleveland #ohio #fyp ♬ original sound - 80s Kid_691228

The attraction offers overnight stays, making it possible for serious A Christmas Story fans to turn a movie-location stop into an entire experience.

But my Ohio movie-location connection didn't end in Cleveland. On the trip back to Illinois, I stopped in Mansfield, Ohio, where another legendary movie comes to life.

Walk into The Shawshank Redemption

While The Shawshank Redemption is set in Maine, many of its most memorable prison scenes were filmed at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield.

The historic facility was built in stages between 1886 and 1910 and operated as a prison until 1990.

Johnny Vincent

Today, visitors can tour the massive former prison and see locations used in the 1994 film. The Ohio State Reformatory offers Hollywood-focused tours, while the Shawshank Movie Trail connects visitors to 16 filming locations around the Mansfield area.