Outline of Ohio
Ohio is one of the leading industrial states in the United States. Its industries produce motor vehicles, machine parts, metal products, processed foods, steel, and many other products. Ohio ranks 7th among the states in population, though it is 35th in area. Columbus is Ohio's largest city and the state capital. Cleveland, the state's chief industrial center, is Ohio's largest metropolitan area.
Several natural advantages helped Ohio become a great manufacturing state. Ohio has an abundant supply of water and large deposits of coal, salt, and other important minerals. Its central location, near raw materials and major markets, has helped attract many large industries. Ohio ranks high among the states in the manufacture of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts, industrial machinery, food products, and steel.
Manufacturing is only part of the Ohio economy. A majority of the state's workers are employed in service industries, which include such activities as education, health care, and trade. Cleveland and Columbus are important financial centers of the United States. In addition, Cleveland is among the nation's leading health care centers and Columbus is an important distribution center. Cincinnati, Ohio's third-largest city, is also an important center of manufacturing and trade.
Ohio claims the title of the Mother of Presidents. Seven presidents of the United States were born in Ohio, more than in any other state except Virginia. In historical order, the presidents born in Ohio were Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding. William Henry Harrison was living in Ohio when he became president of the United States.
Two of the nation's most famous astronauts were born in Ohio. Neil A. Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon, was born in Auglaize County near Wapakoneta. John H. Glenn, Jr., the first American astronaut to orbit the earth, was born in Cambridge and grew up in New Concord. He was elected to the United States Senate from Ohio in 1974. Many famous inventors also came from Ohio. Thomas A. Edison, the wizard of electricity, developed his scientific curiosity as a small boy in Milan. Orville and Wilbur Wright made test flights in their first power-driven airplane from a field near Dayton. Charles F. Kettering of Dayton developed a self-starter for automobiles. The aluminum-refining process was discovered by Charles M. Hall of Oberlin.
About half of Ohio's people live in the state's three largest metropolitan areas-Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus. Columbus, with a population of 711,470, ranks as the largest city in Ohio. Five other cities in the state have populations of more than 100,000. They are, in order of size, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, and Dayton. The largest population groups in Ohio include people of German, Irish, and English descent.
Ohio has hundreds of historical, recreational, and scenic attractions. Historical points of interest include huge Indian burial mounds and forts that date back to prehistoric times. The 2,500 lakes and 44,000 miles (70,800 kilometers) of rivers and streams in Ohio provide many opportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming. Lake Erie is a major tourist and recreational attraction. Hunters shoot deer, ducks, and rabbits in the state's woods and on the rolling plains. Many vacationers enjoy hiking in the hilly eastern section of Ohio, which has some of the state's most beautiful scenery.
Ohio took its name from the Iroquois Indian word meaning something great. The Iroquois used the word for the Ohio River, which forms the state's southeastern and southern borders. Ohio is called the Buckeye State because of the buckeye trees that once grew plentifully on its hills and plains. Pioneers cut down many of the buckeyes to build log cabins. In 1803, Ohio became the first state to be carved out of the Northwest Territory. Ohio later served as an important link to the West as canals, railways, and roads crossed the state. It was called the Gateway State.
