Fun Facts About Ohio

• Ohio is a state in the Midwestern United States.
•  Ohio is the 34th most extensive, the 7th most populous, and the 10th most densely populated of the 50 United States.
• The state's capital and largest city is Columbus
• The name "Ohio" originated from Iroquois word ohi-yo’, meaning "great river".
• The state, originally partitioned from the Northwest Territory, was admitted to the Union as the 17th state (and the first under the Northwest Ordinance) on March 1, 1803. 
•  Although there are conflicting narratives regarding the origin of the nickname, Ohio is historically known as the "Buckeye State" (relating to the Ohio buckeye tree) and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes".
• Chewing gum was patented in Ohio
• John Glenn and Neal Armstrong are both from Ohio
• Seven US Presidents were born in Ohio (Grant, Hayes, Harrison, McKinley, Taft, Harding, Garfield)
• The first ambulance service was established in Ohio
• Cleveland had America's first traffic light
• The inventor of the cash register was from Dayton
• Akron was the first city to use police cars
• Ohio is the leading producer of greenhouse and nursery plants (that one was for you Grandma Reesa)
• The Wright Brothers were from Dayton
• Some well-known personalities were born in Ohio. Among them Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman, Annie Oakley, Arsenio Hall and Clark Gable.
• Ohio gave America its first hot dog in 1900
• Cleveland was voted "The Worst Winter Weather" by Forbes magazine.  http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/05/weather-snow-storm-lifestyle-travel-winter-snowfall_slide_11.html

Cool places within Matthew's mission boundaries:

• Zero Gravity Research Facility      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Gravity_Research_Facility
• James Garfield Historic Site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Garfield_National_Historic_Site
• Thomas Edison's Birthplace      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Alva_Edison_Birthplace   
• The Estate of Rutherford B. Hayes                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiegel_Grove
• Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facilty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_Propulsion_Research_Facility
• Ohio and Erie Canal                                        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_and_Erie_Canal
• Coolest mall anywhere . . . Cleveland Arcade       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Arcade
• McKinley National Monument--final resting place of President McKinley  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKinley_National_Memorial
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland                                                               http://rockhall.com/
• A list of fun things to do in Cleveland                                  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g50207-Activities-Cleveland_Ohio.html
• And of course, the Kirtland Temple and other historically significant church history sites           http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirtland_Temple

Ohio's state symbols:

• State animal: White-tailed Deer (1987)
• State beverage: Tomato juice (1965)
• State bird: Cardinal (1933)
• State capital: Columbus (1816)
• State flower: Red carnation (1904)
• State fossil: Isotelus maximus, a trilobite (1985)
• State herb capital: Gahanna (1972)
• State insect: Ladybug (1975)
• State motto: "With God all things are possible." (1959)
• State reptile: Black racer snake (1995)
• State rock song: "Hang On Sloopy" (1985)
• State song: "Beautiful Ohio" (1969)
• State stone: Ohio Flint (1965)
• State tree: Buckeye (1953)
• State wildflower: Large white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) (1986)