State of Ohio
Nicknames: The Buckeye State
Motto(s): With God, all things are possible
Date of Statehood: March 1, 1803 (17th state)
State Song: “Beautiful Ohio” by Ballard MacDonald (lyrics) and Mary Earl (music)
Ohio Flag History
The flag of Ohio, adopted in 1902 and designed by John Eisemann, is distinctive among state flags for its swallowtail design. The flag is burgee-shaped, meaning it has a triangular tail. It features three red and two white horizontal stripes symbolizing the state’s roads and waterways. The blue triangular field on the hoist side represents the state’s hills and valleys, with seventeen stars around the circle (Ohio being the 17th state to join the Union).
The white circle with a red center not only represents the first letter of the state name but also symbolizes its nickname, “The Buckeye State.” The red disc in the center is said to represent the buckeye nut. Ohio’s flag is unique in its design and stands out as the only non-rectangular U.S. state flag, representing the state’s innovation and distinctiveness.
Ohio Quick Facts
Capital City: Columbus
Abbreviation: OH
Population: Approximately 11.7 million
Region: Midwest
Origin of State Name: Derived from the Iroquois word “ohi-yo,” meaning “great river”
Sports Teams: Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals (NFL), Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL), Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds (MLB)
Bordering States: Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania
Area Codes: 216, 234, 283, 330, 380, 419, 440, 513, 567, 614, 740, 937
Highest Point: Campbell Hill at 1,550 feet (472 meters)
Lowest Point: Ohio River at 455 feet (139 meters)
Geography of Ohio
Area: 44,825 square miles (116,096 square kilometers), 34th largest
Land: 40,948 square miles (106,056 square kilometers), 35th largest
Water: 3,877 square miles (10,040 square kilometers), 26th largest
Coastline: None (landlocked state)
Shoreline: 312 miles (502 kilometers), including the shoreline along Lake Erie and inland bodies of water
Largest Cities:
- Columbus
- Cleveland
- Cincinnati
- Toledo
- Akron
- Dayton
- Parma
- Canton
- Youngstown
- Lorain
- Hamilton
- Springfield
- Kettering
- Elyria
- Lakewood
National Parks:
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
- First Ladies National Historic Site
- Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
- James A. Garfield National Historic Site
Ohio State Symbols
Living Insignia
State Bird: Northern Cardinal
State Animal: White-tailed Deer
State Amphibian: Spotted Salamander
State Butterfly: Monarch Butterfly
State Fish: Walleye
State Flower: Scarlet Carnation
State Horse Breed: None
State Insect: Ladybug (Seven-spotted Ladybug)
State Mammal: White-tailed Deer
State Reptile: Black Racer Snake
Inanimate Insignia
State Fruit: Tomato
State Gemstone: Ohio Flint
State Soil: Miamian
State Tree: Buckeye
State Quarter: Issued in 2002 featuring the state outline, an astronaut (symbolizing Ohio’s contributions to space exploration), and the Wright Flyer (commemorating the Wright brothers, who were from Ohio)
State Beverage: Tomato juice
State Colors: Red, white, and blue
State Dance: None
State Food: None
State Fossil: Isotelus (a genus of trilobite)
State Mineral: Ohio Flint
State Rock: None