Ohio, known as the Buckeye State or the Heart of It All, is a Midwestern state famous for American football, the birthplace of many celebrities, and the cradle of aviation.
Did you know that it’s named the Buckeye State after the buckeye trees that grow in the state, and that’s made its way into calling Ohioans “Buckeyes” as well? Or that it’s a massive producer of corn?
Here are 12 things Ohio is known for:
- The name comes from Iroquois
- Ohio wasn’t a state until 1953
- Buckeye trees
- It’s where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed
- Ohio is home to the first professional baseball team
- This is where the cash register was invented
- The world’s largest cuckoo clock is here
- The state of presidents
- The home of aviation
- Cedar Point
- American football
- Incredible Food
What Is Ohio Known For?
What is Ohio known for, and what are some fun facts about the state? Here are our favorites.
1. The name comes from Iroquois
You might have wondered where the name “Ohio” comes from. The Iroquois who lived on the state’s lands used the word “ohi-yo” – meaning great river. This referred, of course, to the Ohio River, and the name has stuck.
2. Ohio wasn’t a state until 1953
Although it was declared a state in 1803, Ohio didn’t get the presidential confirmation until 1953, under President Eisenhower. He also backdated the declaration to the original date when he signed it off.
3. Buckeye trees
You may not have heard of buckeye trees before. They are found in the Ohio River Valley and make small brown nuts. Because the nuts reminded people of the eyes of a deer, they called them “buckeyes.” There’s a superstition that carrying a buckeye in your pocket brings good luck.
4. It’s where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed
The super famous movie The Shawshank Redemption was shot at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, OH. You’ll also see this location in Air Force One. Today, the facility is open for tours.
5. Ohio is home to the first professional baseball team
It might sound unlikely with such a name, but the Cincinnati Red Stockings were the original baseball team founded in 1869 before the Boston Red Sox became a lot more famous.
6. This is where the cash register was invented
James Ritty, an Ohio native and saloon owner, struggled with employees stealing money when he wasn’t on site. In 1878, he got the idea of a machine that could keep track of money exchanges and brought out the first cash register.
7. The world’s largest cuckoo clock is here
You might expect somewhere like Switzerland to have the world’s largest cuckoo clock, but it can actually be found in Sugarcreek. Incidentally, the town is known as the “Switzerland of Ohio.”
8. The state of presidents
Ohio was the home state for seven US presidents: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft, and Warren G. Harding.
9. The home of aviation
Ohio is also well known for being the birthplace of aviation as this is where inventors Wilbur and Orville Wright were born. Twenty-four astronauts were also born in Ohio, of whom the most famous must be Neil Armstrong. He hails from Wapakoneta, OH.
10. Cedar Point
One of the locations Ohio is famous for is this amusement park located in Sandusky, on a peninsula on Lake Erie. This is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US, especially famous for its roller coaster rides (17 out of 71 rides in total). This is the second-highest number of roller coaster rides in the US after Six Flags Magic Mountain.
From 1997 to 2003, Cedar Point was the undisputed best amusement park in the world, being awarded the Golden Ticket Award for this title for 16 years in a row.
11. American football
In 1920 Ohio, The American Professional Football League was founded as the precursor of today’s NFL. The Ohio State Buckeyes Football Team, the team of Ohio State University, is extremely successful and wildly popular. Having won 8 championships, 6 division championships, and 39 conference championships, OSU’s team shows how passionate Ohioans are about the sport. As of 2017, the football program in Ohio was valued at $1.5 billion, the highest of all states in the US.
12. Incredible Food
If you’re wondering what food Ohio is known for, here are the top 10 things you should eat when you visit the state:
Melrose apples
A variety developed in Ohio as a cross between Jonathan and Red Delicious. The official apple of the state, they are sweet, tart, and slightly acidic. They are great in desserts and also make an appearance in savory dishes.
Buckeye candy
Reminiscent of buckeye nuts, this candy is made from peanut butter, regular butter, and powdered sugar, made into a ball and dipped in melted chocolate. Invented in 1964 by Gail Tabor, this is a very popular snack you can buy at football games and served at Christmas or big events like weddings.
Barberton chicken
Aka Serbian fried chicken – comes from Barberton, OH. Made from a whole chicken cut into pieces, dredged in flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper, it’s then deep-fried in lard. This specialty was first served in a diner owned by Serbian immigrants during the Depression-era.
Goetta
This sausage-like patty hails from Cincinnati and is rooted in German heritage. A common breakfast food, it’s made of pork, beef, onions, spices, and unprocessed oats.
Cheese Coney hot dogs
Another Cincinnati staple, these hot dogs are either beef or pork sausages in a steamed bun with freshly chopped onions, Cincinnati chili, and grated cheese. The special thing about these hot dogs is that they’re served in Cincinnati chili parlors, where the other big specialty is chili spiked with chocolate and cinnamon.
Polish boy
Moving to Cleveland, this is a kielbasa sausage with coleslaw, fries, and barbecue sauce in a bun. It might have been invented in the 1940s by combining a smoked beef sausage with other ingredients available to restaurant owner Virgil Whitmore. There are many variations in Cleveland today, with pulled pork and more.
Shaker lemon pie
The Ohio Shakers were descendants of an 18th-century Christian cult who believed that one should finish every last crumb of the pie. It’s made with a curd-like citrus filling from sugar, eggs, and lemons.
Shredded chicken sandwich
You can find this in Central and Northern Ohio. As the name suggests, it’s made from shredded chicken cooked in chicken broth with flour, bread crumbs, or crushed potato chips. The combination is served on hamburger buns and was massively popular in the 1960s when leftover old and tough chicken mean could be given a new lease of life as part of school lunches and at dairy bars and church gatherings.
Cincinnati chili
Probably the most famous food Cincinnati is known for! There are over 180 chili joints in the city, and this particular dish was invented in 1922 by a Macedonian immigrant called Tom Kiradjieff. Using Middle Eastern spices, Tom made an extremely popular chili: ground meat, stock, cinnamon, allspice, Worcestershire sauce, chocolate, or cocoa all go in. It’s usually served with pasta and topped with Cheddar cheese, fried beans, onions, and crushed oyster crackers.
Baby Swiss cheese
The number one most famous food from Ohio is this cheese made with cow’s milk, with a smooth texture and nutty, mild, and sweet taste. As it looks like a smaller version of Swiss cheese, it’s been named Baby Swiss. It’s ideally paired with berries and sweet wines.
Corn
Ohio is also very famous for its agriculture, notably corn production. Thanks to the large amounts of corn produced in Ohio, the US is also one of the top corn producers in the world. Ohio produces multi-colored corn and up to 10 different types of this crop.
Moreover, corn is used in Ohio’s ethanol industry – Ohio makes 523 million gallons of ethanol every year.
What Is Ohio Known For?
To recap, here are 12 fun facts about Ohio:
- The name comes from Iroquois
- Ohio wasn’t a state until 1953
- Buckeye trees
- It’s where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed
- Ohio is home to the first professional baseball team
- This is where the cash register was invented
- The world’s largest cuckoo clock is here
- The state of presidents
- The home of aviation
- Cedar Point
- American football
- Incredible Food
You may not have known half the amazing foods that Ohio and its cities are famous for or some of its lesser-known historical facts. There you have it – this is all the top trivia about the state!