Happy birthday, Ohio! – QFM96

On Mar 1, 2022

Saga CommunicationsThe Ross County Courthouse in Chillicothe served as Ohio’s first statehouse in 1803. (Ohio History Connection)

COLUMBUS – The Buckeye State marks 219 years since its founding on Tuesday.

On March 1, 1803, the state’s first governor, Edward Tiffin, and the General Assembly met in Chillicothe to conduct state business for the first time.

Ohio’s state capital moved to Zanesville before the establishment of Columbus as the home of the state government (above) in 1816. (Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board)

Zanesville also was home to the state’s capital before the establishment of Columbus in 1816.

A statehouse event marking Statehood Day will celebrate and promote the preservation of the Buckeye State’s history.

Thanks to the Wright Brothers, Ohio made its mark as the “Birthplace of Aviation” but Todd Kleismit, director of government and community relations for the Ohio History Connection, points out there’s a lot more to the state’s past.

“A lot of people associate Ohio history with things like the eight different presidents; we have a lot of astronauts; and pretty amazing American Indian heritage here. But we also have hundreds, perhaps thousands of smaller stories, some stories that aren’t as well known,” he said.

A commission has been formed at the national level to encourage history-related activities leading up to the nation’s semiquincentennial — the 250th birthday of the United States — on July 4, 2026.

Ohio is also putting together a commission to highlight the state’s role in the celebration, Kleismit said.