Fun Facts About Ohio
Ohio is one of the 50 states of the United States and it is located in the midwestern region of the country alongside 11 other states. Ohio is a state that is known for a lot of things including being the Birthplace of aviation because the pair of Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the airplane in Ohio. Ohio is an incredibly rich state both in culture, history and economy, there is a lot of Ohio facts to learn. That is why we have this article with detailed compilation of fun facts about Ohio, these Ohio fun facts would expose both Ohioans and none Ohioans to some information they never about the beautiful state of Ohio.
Created on the 1st of March 1803, Ohio became the 17th state of the 50 states of the United States of America. With a landmass of 44,825 mi² Ohio is not anywhere close to being the biggest states by landmass but Ohio is one of the top 10 states richest states in the US. There are much more, pleasing, intriguing and interesting facts about Ohio, you only need to read further below to discover them.
Facts About Ohio
- Its state flag is unique
Most state and country flags are known to have a rectangular shape but Ohio decided to be different and change things up.
The Ohio state flag is the only flag of all the states in the US that does not have a rectangular shape. Rather, it is shaped like a triangular swallowtail. The flag has red, blue, and white stripes on it and they represent the waterways, valleys, and roads that are in the state.
- Reason for its nickname
Ohio is also known as the Buckeye State and this is because of the numerous Ohio buckeye trees that are in the state. It is a species of tree in the soapberry family and it is native to North America.
- The secret behind its name
Ohio gets its name from the Ohio River. The word “Ohio” originated from the Native American Seneca language and it roughly translates to great river or large creek.
- Ohio’s neighbors
To the north, northwest, southeast, southwest, east, and west, Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Indiana respectively.
- It is 34th largest state
Ohio is ranked 34th on the list of largest states by area in the United States as it has a total area of 44,825 square miles.
- It is the 7th most populous state
Ohio ranks 7th on the list of most populous states with a population of about 11.7 million. It is the 10th most densely populated state with about 261 people per square mile.
- It is the 17th state
Ohio is the 17th state to be admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803.
- It is the Mother of Presidents
Ohio is also known as the Mother of Presidents as the state has produced seven presidents of the United States. The seven presidents are Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding.
While this feat sounds great, only one was able to complete two terms in office (Ulysses S. Grant) while 4 of them died while still in office.
- It is the first postcolonial free state to join the US
Ohio is the first postcolonial free state to become part of the United States.
- It is largest than some countries
Despite not being among one of the largest states in the US, Ohio still manages to be larger than some countries like Cuba, and Croatia. Ohio is twice as large as Croatia, a leading European country.
- It has the 2nd largest city in the Midwest
Ohio’s largest city is Columbus and it is also the 2nd largest city in the American Midwest.
- It has 88 counties
Throughout the state of Ohio, there are 88 counties in which people reside.
- It is a square
Well, Ohio is one of the few areas that are as wide as they are tall. The distance from side to side or top to bottom is about 220 miles.
- It’s the only state to have an official rock song
Of all 50 states in the United States, Ohio is the only state to have an official rock song. It is called “Hang On Sloopy”, and it was chosen in 1985.
- Its highest point
The highest peak in Ohio is Campbell Hill and it is at 1550 feet above sea level.
- Its lowest point
The lowest point in Ohio is the Ohio River, which is 455 feet above sea level.
- It hosts the 1st indoor shopping center in the US
The Arcade is the oldest indoor shopping center in the US as it was built more than a century ago, in 1890. It cost a whopping $875,000 to build as of then. Today, The Arcade plays a huge role in the architectural history of Cleveland. Also, The Arcade is the first building from Cleveland to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Its highest temperature
The highest temperature ever recorded in Ohio was 113°F, it was on July 21, 1934, at Gallipolis.
- Its lowest temperature
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Ohio was -39°F, it was on February 10, 1899, at Milligan.
- It has only one national park
Throughout the state of Ohio, there is only one national park and it is the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is located near the urban area of Akron and Cleveland.
- It is the only national monument
There is only one national monument in the state of Ohio and it is the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument. Charles Young was the first African American to rank as a colonel in the US army.
- Ohio is the president picker
Since 1960, there has been no US president who went on to the White House without winning in the state of Ohio.
- It has the 2nd most Amish people
Of all 50 states in the United States, Ohio has the second most Amish people as there are more than 80,000 Amish people in the state.
- It hosts the 2nd oldest operating amusement park in the US
Sandusky, Ohio, is home to the 2nd oldest continuously running amusement park in the United States, and that is Cedar Point.
Cedar Point is a 364-acre amusement park located on the Lake Erie peninsula. The park has more than 15 rollercoasters with the most recent one being opened to the public in 2018.
- It is home to the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Ohio is home to the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a museum and hall of fame, it recognizes the likes of Whitney Houston, Jay Z Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, and more
- It has more than 50 national historic sites and park
Throughout the state of Ohio, there are 76 national historic sites and national historic parks. They include forts, a gravity research facility, a presidential tomb, a submarine, etc.
- The biggest sports league was created in Ohio
American Football is the biggest sport in the United States, and its professional league, the National Football League, was founded in Canton, Ohio in 1920. When watching your favorite team in the league, always remember Ohio where it all started.
- It is the birthplace of aviation
Ohio is also known as the Birthplace of Aviation, and this is because of the state’s aviation history. Ohio is the home of The Wright Brothers, who flew the first airplane. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon is also from the state. Last but not the least, the oldest American to travel into space was from Ohio.
- The first city to be lit electrically is in Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio, is the first city in the world to be lit electrically and this happened in 1879 when Charles Brush demonstrated arc lights on the streets successfully.
- Ohio hosts a duct tape festival every year
Yes, you read right, every year, a duct tape festival is held in Avon, Ohio. The event is held every June for three days where all that is done is celebrate duct tape. This is because the town gave birth to the famous Duck Tape brand.
- Popular people from Ohio
Some famous Ohioans are Paul Newman, Stephen Spielberg, Dean Martin, Arsenio Hall, Martin Sheen, Halle Berry, and Doris Day. NBA stars Lebron James and Stephen Curry are also from the state of Ohio.
- Thomas Edison was born in Ohio
Thomas Edison, who is well known for a lot of his inventions, was born in Milan, Ohio.
- The cash register was invented in Ohio
The cash register that is commonly used in many stores today was invented in Ohio by James J. Ritty, a supermarket owner. He initially named it the “mechanical money drawer.”
- The first traffic light in the US was in Ohio
After being the first city to be lighted electrically, Cleveland, Ohio, is also the place where the first traffic light in the United States was installed. It was installed on August 5, 1914, at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street.
- The world’s largest basket is in Ohio
The largest basket in the world is the former headquarters of the Longaberger Basket Company.
- Wendy’s was founded in Ohio
Wendy’s is one of the most successful fast-food chains in the United States. The company was founded in Columbus, Ohio by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969. The company’s headquarters are now in Dublin, Ohio.
Wendy’s is also the 3rd largest hamburger fast food chain in the world as it has 6,711 locations.
- Some funny laws in Ohio
Every state has some funny laws and Ohio is no different. In the state, it is against the law to throw a snake at someone and also, you are not allowed to honk your horn excessively. Also, you need to have a hunting license to catch mice, keep this in mind if you have any mice disturbing you at home. In Ohio, you are also prohibited from participating in a duel so no fighting!
- It has the first university to admit women
Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1833, became the first university in the United States to grant admission to women.
- It has the 3rd largest university in the US
The Ohio State University is considered to be the 3rd largest university by enrollment in the United States as it has about 65,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
- It has the most valuable university football program
The Ohio State University’s football program is considered to be the most valuable of all universities in the United States as it is valued at around $1.5 billion.
- It has the longest bar in the world.
The Beer Barrel Saloon in Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island, Ohio is recognized by Guinness as the longest permanent continuous bar in the world. It measures close to 406 feet (123 meters).
- The first university to offer a bachelor’s degree to an African American woman is in Ohio
Oberlin College in Ohio is the first university in the United States in which an African American woman gained a bachelor’s degree. The woman is Mary J. Patterson and it was in 1862.
- Bye horses
The police were known to have patrolled on horses or foot before the use of cars. Now, the first city in the US to move onto police cars from horses is Akron, Ohio. The police car used was estimated to cost around $2,400.
- It has the oldest concrete street in the US
Court Avenue is a small street located in downtown Bellefontaine, Ohio. It is recognized as the first street in the United States to be paved with concrete. Court Avenue was first paved in 1893, more than a century ago.
- America’s first automobile was invented in Ohio
John William Lambert of Ohio City was the person who invented the first gasoline-powered American automobile in 1891. After that, he was also involved in the first automobile accident in the country.
- Shawshank Redemption was filmed in Ohio
Shawshank Redemption, one of the best movies from the 1990s was filmed at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio.
- The first African American Olympic gold medalist is from Ohio
DeHart Hubbard of Cincinnati, Ohio, is the first African American athlete to win a gold medal in an individual event at the Olympics. He competed in the long jump at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.
- It is the center of everything
You can also say that Ohio is the center of everything as more than 50% of the United States population lives within a 500-mile radius of Columbus, the capital city of the state.
- It is Superman’s birthplace
Superman was created in 1933 by two high school students, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. They attended Cleveland High School and initially wanted him to be a supervillain.
- The first ambulance service was created in Ohio
The first ambulance service in the United States was established in Cincinnati, one of Ohio’s largest cities, in 1865.
- It is home to the Wall of Gum
There is a place tagged “Wall of Gum” in Ohio. It is the walls of Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop in Greenville. Over the years, customers have made a tradition of sticking their gum outside the walls of the shop. About 3 of the four walls of the building are now covered in gum.
We have gotten to the end of the list of Ohio interesting facts, you know what’s more interesting? Is answering some popular and frequently asked questions about Ohio, answers to these questions would revealed more interesting fun facts about Ohio.
FAQs About Ohio Facts
What is Ohio known for?
Ohio is known for many things which are:
- The birthplace of aviation.
- Buckeye trees.
- Cincinnati Chili.
- Melrose Apples
- Corn production
- World’s largest cuckoo clock.
What is Ohio famous for?
Ohio is famous for a lot of things which are:
- The birthplace of aviation.
- Buckeye trees.
- Cincinnati Chili.
- Melrose Apples
- Corn production
- World’s largest cuckoo clock.
What is the capital of Ohio state?
Capital of Ohio state is Columbus.
What are 5 interesting facts about Ohio?
5 interesting facts about Ohio are:
- Ohio is the birthplace of aviation.
- Ohio was created in 1808 as a stated but only became recognised in 1953.
- It used to be covered by many buckeye trees.
- It is called the Buckeye tree state.
- It is the 7th richest state in the USA.
What are some facts about Ohio?
Some facts about Ohio are:
- Ohio is the birthplace of aviation.
- Ohio was created in 1808 as a stated but only became recognised in 1953.
- It used to be covered by many buckeye trees.
- It is called the Buckeye tree state.
- It is the 7th richest state in the USA.
