Quick Facts: Ohio - 50 States

Ohio is a state in the Midwestern United States. It is bordered by Indiana to the west, Michigan and Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania and Virginia to the east, with Virginia and Kentucky to the south.

ABBREVIATION: OH
NICKNAME: The Buckeye State
POPULATION: 11,883,304 (2024 est.)
CAPITAL: Columbus
STATE BIRD: Cardinal
STATE FLOWER: Scarlet Carnation
AREA: 44,825 sq. mi.
TIME ZONE: Eastern
ENTERED UNION: Mar. 1, 1803
ALTITUDE: High, 1,549 ft. Campbell Hill
CLIMATE: Abundant rainfall. High but not oppressive summer temperatures; cool to cold winters.

“As lovely a land as ever lay outdoors” was how a native son, author Sherwood Anderson, described his state. Ohio, whose rough easterly hills fade into the undulating western plains, matches its beauty with prosperity.

It is a truism that Ohio was once a great manufacturing center, making everything from shoelace tips (aglets) and machine tools, to blast furnaces, playing cards, and bicycles. It was in a Dayton bicycle shop that Wilbur and Orville Wright designed the first airplane, fulfilling man’s ancient dream of flight.

Part of the bed of ancient inland sea rose to form the Allegheny Plateau, which embraces eastern Ohio. This sea left the state rich in both fertile farmland and underground minerals. To this day, intensively worked mines yield billions of dollars for the state from the production of of lime, made from limestone to produce cement, chemicals, fertilizer and steel.

The glaciers which once moved across northern Ohio gave birth to Lake Erie and channeled many of the state’s streams southward into the broad Ohio River. That great waterway, which curves first south, then west around the state, early made Ohio a key east-west corridor across the United States.

Located between the iron ore deposits to the northwest and the coal mines of the Alleghenies, Ohio began its career as a great steelmaker in the 1890’s. But around the great manufacturing centers which dominate the state, there still lie tens of thousands of farms. Their corn, dairy foods, hogs, cattle and other products give Ohio an agricultural income of over $9 Billion annually.

Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Recently Ohio has seen a revival of manufacturing opportunities, jobs once lost to overseas manufacturers are returning to the Buckeye state. Manufacturing is on the rebound in Ohio, the region has added more than 54,000 jobs in the state over the past few years. Along with more demand for products made in the U.S., many manufacturers are bringing work back to U.S. factories.

Fun Facts:

The Cincinnati Reds were the first professional baseball team.
Ohio has the largest Amish-Mennonite community in the world. The Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center is located in Berlin, near New Philadelphia.
Marietta, Ohio’s first permanent European settlement, was named for the French Queen Marie Antoinette.
Twinsburg, located just south of Cleveland, has been hosting the Twin Days Festival every August since 1967. It is attended by more than 3,000 sets of twins from around the world.
Cincinnati established the first ambulance service in 1865.
Established in 1833, the first interracial and coeducational college in the U.S. was Oberlin College.

History:

Ohio, often called the “Buckeye State,” has played a central role in the development of the United States. From its Native American heritage and frontier conflicts to industrial growth and political leadership, Ohio’s history is rich, dynamic, and deeply connected to the broader American experience.

Long before European contact, the region now known as Ohio was home to numerous Indigenous cultures. Thousands of years ago, the Adena and Hopewell cultures built large ceremonial mounds and complex societies, remnants of which can still be seen today at sites like the Newark Earthworks and Serpent Mound.

Later, powerful tribes such as the Shawnee, Miami, and Wyandot occupied the region, living off the land through farming, hunting, and trade.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, European explorers and fur traders from France and Britain entered the Ohio Valley. The area became a contested zone between colonial powers and Native tribes.

After the French and Indian War (1754–1763), France ceded its North American claims to Britain. Following the American Revolution, the newly formed United States gained control of the region through the 1783 Treaty of Paris.

Ohio was part of the Northwest Territory, the first organized region beyond the original 13 states. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established guidelines for governing and admitting new states, and it banned slavery in the territory. This ordinance laid the foundation for Ohio’s future as a free state.

As settlers pushed westward, tensions with Native tribes escalated. The Northwest Indian War (1785–1795) ended with the Battle of Fallen Timbers and the Treaty of Greenville, which forced tribes to give up much of their land in Ohio. This opened the door to widespread settlement.

On March 1, 1803, Ohio became the 17th state in the Union—the first state carved from the Northwest Territory. Its location along major rivers and later canals made it a vital transportation hub. The completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal in the 1830s linked Lake Erie to the Ohio River, boosting trade and migration.

During the 19th century, Ohio emerged as a center of industry, education, and political thought. It played a critical role in the Underground Railroad, with many residents helping enslaved people escape to freedom.

Ohio contributed significantly to the Union cause during the Civil War, providing troops, generals, and supplies. Notably, Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman, two leading Union generals, were born in Ohio.

Ohio became known as the “Mother of Presidents,” as it was the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents, including Grant, William McKinley, and William Howard Taft. Its political importance continues today, as it is often seen as a key swing state in presidential elections.

In the 20th century, Ohio’s cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Dayton grew into industrial and cultural centers. Innovations in aviation, rubber manufacturing, and steel production helped drive the U.S. economy.

Today, Ohio remains a vital part of the nation, balancing its historical legacy with modern innovation in technology, education, and healthcare. Its rich history reflects the broader story of America’s growth, struggle, and resilience.