In honor of Cliff and familia that are currently wending their way to the great state of OhiO, I present....

All The Interesting Columbus OhiO Trivia Paddy Could Find On The Intertubes!!


"Hang On Sloopy" is the official state rock song.

The Y Bridge in Zanesville was first built in 1814 to span the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers. The current bridge is the fifth construction at the same location. "Ripley's Believe It or Not" proclaimed it the only bridge in the world which you can cross and still be on the same side of the river.

The American Federation of Labor was founded in Columbus.

Ohio is the leading producer of greenhouse and nursery plants.

Seven United States presidents were born in Ohio. They are: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft, and Warren G. Harding.

Some well-known personalities were born in Ohio. Among them Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman, Annie Oakley, Arsenio Hall and Clark Gable.(added from ohdave)Rob Lowe, the Sheens, Pete Rose, Le Bron James, Toni Morrison, James Thurber, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, John Glenn, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, Woody Hayes, Roy Lichtenstein, George Bellows.(since I'm still on my West Wing Kick, is there anyone from TWW NOT from OhiO?)

The first full time automobile service station was opened in 1899 in Ohio.

In 1852 Ohio was the first state to enact laws protecting working women.

Ohio gave America its first hot dog in 1900. Harry M. Stevens created the popular dining dog.

50% of the United States population lives within a 500 mile radius of Columbus.
(ed note- this is really interesting!)

Ohio's state flag is a pennant design. It is the only state flag of that design in the United States.

State symbols:

flower scarlet carnation (1904)
tree buckeye (1953)
bird cardinal (1933)
insect ladybug (1975)
gemstone flint (1965)
song “Beautiful Ohio” (1969)
beverage tomato juice (1965)
fossil trilobite (1985)
animal white-tailed deer (1988)
wildflower large white trillium (1987)

Nickname: Buckeye State

Origin of name: From an Iroquoian word meaning “great river”

One last thing!! I know there are quite a few OH, IN, KY & IL people who stop by here, so if you have any good websites that are Columbus-centric, leave them in the comments so Cliff has some references when he needs them.

Oops, one more last last thing.......