Ohio is far more fascinating than most people realize. Known as the “Buckeye State,” Ohio has contributed more to American innovation, culture, and history than almost any other state. From world-changing inventions to presidential legacies, from natural wonders to quirky landmarks, Ohio continues to surprise even lifelong residents. Here are 75 incredible facts that showcase why Ohio truly stands out among the 50 states.
75 Facts You Didn't Know About OHIO
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Historical & Political Facts
1. Ohio didn’t officially become a state until 1953. It was declared a state in 1803, but didn’t get the presidential stamp of approval until President Dwight Eisenhower signed off and backdated the declaration to the original date.
2. Seven U.S. presidents were born in Ohio, earning it the nickname “the Mother of Presidents.” These include Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft, and Warren G. Harding.
3. Ohio became the 17th state on March 1, 1803, making it the first state created from the Northwest Territory.
4. The name “Ohio” comes from the Seneca word “Ohi:yo'” meaning “great river,” referring to the Ohio River.
5. Chillicothe was Ohio’s first capital city, serving from 1803 to 1810 before the capital moved to Columbus.
6. Ohio is known as a swing state because it can be won by either a Democratic or Republican presidential candidate.
7. In 1920, two Ohioans faced each other for the presidency: Warren G. Harding and James M. Cox.
8. Ohio was the first state to enact laws protecting working women in 1852.
9. John Mercer Langston is believed to have been the first African American elected to public office, serving as clerk of Brownhelm in 1854.
10. Ohio played a crucial role in the Underground Railroad due to its location along the Ohio River as a free state during the Civil War.
Innovation & Inventions
11. Thomas Edison, born in Milan, Ohio, holds 1,093 patents – more than any other American.
12. The Wright Brothers invented the first airplane in Dayton, successfully flying their powered aircraft on December 17, 1903.
13. The first automobile in America was built by John Lambert of Ohio City in 1890, reaching speeds up to five miles per hour.
14. Charles Kettering invented the automobile self-starter in 1911, eliminating the need for hand-cranking engines.
15. Ohio gave America its first hot dog in 1900 when Harry M. Stevens created this popular cookout food.
16. The first full-time automobile service station opened in Ohio in 1899. (Source: 50states.com)
17. Roy J. Plunkett of New Carlisle invented Teflon in 1938 as a result of an experiment gone wrong.
18. W.F. Semple of Mount Vernon patented chewing gum in 1869. (Source: 50states.com)
19. The vacuum cleaner was invented by Murray Spangler in Canton in 1907. A relative, W.H. Hoover, manufactured and sold the invention worldwide.
20. Garrett Morgan of Cleveland invented both the gas mask and the traffic signal after witnessing a crash between an automobile and a buggy.
21. Life Savers candy was invented by Clarence Crane of Garrettsville in 1912. (Source: OnlyInYourState)
22. Charles Brush of Cleveland created arc street lights, making nighttime driving less dark.
23. The modern golf ball required three Ohioans to create: Coburn Haskell of Cleveland, Joseph Mitchell, and Bertram Work.
24. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in Cleveland, making it Cleveland’s hands-down favorite invention.
25. Granville T. Woods of Columbus received 35 patents for electrical and mechanical devices between 1884 and 1907, mostly improving railroad systems.
Geographic & Natural Wonders
26. Ohio has 23 National Natural Landmarks throughout the state.
27. Grand Lake St. Marys was the largest artificial lake in the world when completed in 1845, covering over 20 square miles.
28. The Glacial Grooves on Kelleys Island are a National Natural Landmark, measuring 400 feet long, 35 feet wide, and up to 10 feet deep.
29. The Great Serpent Mound is the largest serpent effigy in the world, measuring approximately 1,300 feet in length.
30. Ohio’s highest point is Campbell Hill, but it’s not even high enough to be considered a mountain.
31. Ohio can be divided into five geographical regions: the Great Lakes Plains, Lake Erie Shoreline, Till Plains, lowland region, and Appalachian Plateau.
32. The largest natural bridge in Ohio spans more than 100 feet at Rockbridge State Nature Preserve.
33. Ohio Caverns features one of the world’s largest and most perfectly formed stalactites, called the Crystal King, weighing an estimated 400 pounds.
34. Ohio produces about five million tons of rock salt annually, mined from beneath Lake Erie.
35. Oak Openings near Toledo was named one of the “Last Great Places on Earth” by The Nature Conservancy.
36. The Till Plains region is considered the beginning of America’s corn belt due to its extremely fertile soil.
37. Ohio has 88 counties, making it one of the states with the most counties.
38. People have lived in Ohio for at least 13,000 years, evidenced by Ice Age ground sloth bones marked by human tools.
39. The Adena and Hopewell cultures built elaborate burial and ceremonial mounds that can still be visited today.
40. Flint Ridge provided flint that has been found as far east as the Atlantic coast and as far west as Kansas City, demonstrating prehistoric trading networks.
Sports & Entertainment
41. The National Football League (NFL) was founded in Canton, Ohio in 1920. (Source: Fun World Facts)
42. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, dedicated to preserving the history of professional football.
43. Ohio teams have won seven World Series five for Cincinnati Reds, two for Cleveland Guardians.
44. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals in 2016 after coming back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
45. Cedar Point is the second oldest continuously running amusement park in the US, opening in 1870 with 16 different rollercoasters.
46. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland was designed by I.M. Pei, who also designed the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.
47. Cleveland’s Progressive Field sold out 455 consecutive games between 1995 and 2001, a Major League Baseball record.
48. Ohio State University’s football team has appeared in 47 bowl games with a record of 24-23.
49. Mount Union Purple Raiders have won a record-setting 13 NCAA Division III national championships in football.
50. The Cincinnati Zoo is the second oldest zoo in the United States and is known for its successful breeding programs.
Economic & Cultural Facts
51. Ohio ranks 7th in GDP among all states with the third-largest manufacturing sector.
52. Ohio has the second-largest automobile production in the United States.
53. Honda was the first Japanese automaker to start production in the US, beginning in Marysville, Ohio in 1982.
54. Ohio leads the nation in producing plastics, rubber, and manufactured metals. (Source: Fact Monster)
55. Nearly 19% of Ohio’s GDP comes from the manufacturing sector. (Source: Fact Monster)
56. Ohio has the 10th largest highway network in the country and was known as the “Gateway State” in the 1800s.
57. The state ranks as the 7th most populous with a population of 11,942,600.
58. Ohio has more than 600 school districts providing K-12 education.
59. Cleveland became the world’s first city to be lighted electrically in 1879. (Source: 50states.com)
60. Ohio ranks number one in Swiss cheese production in the United States.
Unique & Quirky Facts
61. The world’s largest cuckoo clock is located in Sugarcreek, known as the “Little Switzerland of Ohio.”
62. The world’s largest basket-shaped building was the headquarters of the Longaberger Company in Newark.
63. Ohio is home to approximately 40,000 Amish citizens living in 5 counties in east-central Ohio.
64. The world’s first electric traffic signal was introduced in Cleveland on August 5, 1914.
65. East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland was the site of the first pedestrian button for traffic light control.
66. Ohio University, founded in 1804 at Athens, is recognized as the first university in Ohio and the Northwest Territory.
67. Oberlin College, founded in 1833, was the first interracial and coeducational college in the United States.
68. Marietta was Ohio’s first permanent settlement, founded in 1788 and named in honor of Marie Antoinette.
69. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Ohio was 113°F in Gallipolis on July 21, 1934.
70. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -39°F in Milligan on February 10, 1899.
71. Strange Ohio laws still in existence include banning throwing a snake at someone and selling Corn Flakes on Sunday.
72. Ohio’s state artifact is the Adena Pipe, a Native American ceremonial smoking pipe from 1000 BCE to 200 BCE.
73. The largest blizzard in Midwest history killed over 50 people in Ohio in 1978.
74. DeHart Hubbard from Cincinnati was the first African American athlete to win a gold medal in an individual Olympic event, taking long jump in 1924.
75. Ohio’s state motto is “With God all things are possible,” while its nickname comes from the buckeye tree whose nuts look like a deer’s eye.
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