History of Ohio in Timeline
Ohio, located in the American Midwest, is the seventh most populous U.S. state with approximately 11.8 million residents. Its capital is Columbus, and major cities include Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Dayton. Ohio is nicknamed the "Buckeye State" due to its abundance of Ohio buckeye trees. Its unique flag distinguishes it as the only state with a non-rectangular design.
May 17, 1901: Earthquake near Portsmouth
On May 17, 1901, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 occurred near Portsmouth, Ohio.
May 9, 1902: Ohio Adopts State Flag
The Ohio state legislature officially adopted the flag of Ohio on May 9, 1902.
December 17, 1903: Wright Brothers Make First Flights
Dayton natives Orville and Wilbur Wright conducted the first successful airplane flights, making four brief flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903.
1910: Ohio's Canal System
As late as 1910, Ohio's canal system continued to transport a significant amount of the state's bulk freight.
1913: Lincoln Highway Designation
In 1913, "Main Market Route 3" was chosen to become a part of the Lincoln Highway, the first road across America that connected New York City to San Franscisco.
1913: The Great Flood of 1913 Devastates Ohio
In 1913, the Great Flood caused widespread devastation in Ohio, leading to at least 428 deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage, primarily in the Great Miami River basin.
1913: The Great Dayton Flood
The Great Dayton Flood, the worst weather disaster in Ohio's history, occurred in 1913 when the entire Miami River watershed flooded, leading to the creation of the Miami Conservancy District.
1919: Cincinnati Reds World Series Victory
The Cincinnati Reds won their first World Series title.
October 3, 1920: First Official NFL Game
The first official National Football League (NFL) game took place on October 3, 1920, in Dayton, Ohio. The Dayton Triangles defeated the Columbus Panhandles 14–0.
1920: Two Ohio Teams Win Championships
Both the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians won their respective league championships in 1920.
1922: Canton Bulldogs NFL Championship Victory
The Canton Bulldogs secured their first NFL Championship title.
1923: Canton Bulldogs NFL Championship Victory
The Canton Bulldogs won their second consecutive NFL Championship.
1924: Canton Bulldogs NFL Championship Victory
The Canton Bulldogs won their third consecutive NFL Championship.
1926: U.S. Route 30 Designation
When the federal numbered highway system was introduced in 1926, the Lincoln Highway that went through Ohio was renamed U.S. Route 30.
1933: The Great Depression in Ohio
The Great Depression had a severe impact on Ohio's economy in 1933. Unemployment rates soared, with more than 40% of factory workers and 67% of construction workers out of jobs.
July 21, 1934: Highest Recorded Temperature in Ohio
The highest temperature ever recorded in Ohio, 113 degrees F, was measured near Gallipolis on July 21, 1934.
March 9, 1937: The Anna Earthquake
The most significant earthquake in Ohio's history, the Anna earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.4, struck western Ohio on March 9, 1937.
1940: Ohio Population Growth Slows
The 1940 census marked the first decade where Ohio's population growth did not exceed 10%.
1940: Cincinnati Reds World Series Victory
The Cincinnati Reds achieved their second World Series championship.
1944: Presidential Election
Thomas E. Dewey, the Republican candidate, won the presidential election, but Ohio did not support him.
1945: Cleveland Rams NFL Championship Victory
The Cleveland Rams achieved their first NFL Championship victory.
1948: Cleveland Indians World Series Victory
The Cleveland Indians secured their second World Series title.
1950: Cleveland Browns NFL Championship Victory
The Cleveland Browns won their first NFL Championship title.
1952: First Live Rock 'n' Roll Concert
Alan Freed, a disc jockey from Cleveland, organized and hosted the first live rock 'n' roll concert in Cleveland in 1952.
1953: Ohio Officially Admitted to the Union
In 1953, it was discovered that Congress had not formally voted on a resolution to admit Ohio to the Union. To rectify this, Ohio congressman George H. Bender introduced a bill in Congress to formally admit Ohio retroactive to March 1, 1803. The Ohio legislature approved a new petition for statehood, which Congress approved in August 1953.
1954: Cleveland Browns NFL Championship Victory
The Cleveland Browns won their second NFL Championship title.
1955: Cleveland Browns NFL Championship Victory
The Cleveland Browns achieved their third NFL Championship victory.
1960: Presidential Election
John F. Kennedy, a Democrat, won the presidential election, but Ohio did not support him.
1963: Pro Football Hall of Fame Established
Canton, Ohio was chosen as the location for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
1963: Pro Football Hall of Fame Established
The Pro Football Hall of Fame was established in Canton, Ohio, in recognition of the state's significant role in the history of professional football.
1964: Presidential Election
This was the start of Ohio supporting the winning presidential candidate for every election until 2016.
1964: Cleveland Browns NFL Championship Victory
The Cleveland Browns secured their fourth NFL Championship title.
1965: Appalachian Regional Development Act
In 1965, the Appalachian Regional Development Act was passed to address poverty in the Appalachian Region, which includes 29 counties in Ohio.
1967: Carl Stokes Elected Mayor of Cleveland
Carl Stokes made history in 1967 when he became the first African American mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, and the first African American mayor of a major U.S. city.
1967: Start of the Super Bowl Era
The first Super Bowl was played. Despite Ohio's success in earlier NFL championships, no team from the state has won the Super Bowl since its inception.
1970: Kent State Shootings
On May 4, 1970, during an anti-war protest at Kent State University, the Ohio Army National Guard opened fire on students. This event resulted in the deaths of four students and injuries to nine others. The protests were primarily driven by opposition to the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, specifically the invasion of Cambodia.
1970: Ohio's Population Exceeds 10 Million
The 1970 census recorded over 10.65 million residents in Ohio, after decades of rapid population growth.
1974: Establishment of the Ohio Lottery
The Ohio Lottery was established in 1974 and has since contributed billions of dollars toward education.
1975: Cincinnati Reds World Series Victory
This year, the Cincinnati Reds secured their third World Series title.
1976: Cincinnati Reds World Series Victory
The Cincinnati Reds clinched their fourth World Series championship.
July 1979: Ohio Trade Mission to China
In July 1979, Ohio governor Jim Rhodes led a trade mission to China, aiming to establish economic ties and explore potential markets for Ohio's machinery exports. This mission fostered economic cooperation between Ohio and China, including a sister state-province relationship with Hubei province, Chinese exhibitions at the Ohio State Fair, and academic exchanges between Ohio State University and Wuhan University.
1979: Last Passenger Rail in Columbus
Columbus's Union Station was last served by the National Limited passenger rail in 1979.
1980: U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Ohio River Boundary
In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the boundary between Ohio and Kentucky (and West Virginia) along the Ohio River. The court determined that the boundary is the northern low-water mark of the river as it existed in 1792.
1980: Ohio as Swing State
Since 1980, Ohio has been considered a regular swing state in presidential elections.
1982: CART Races Begin
The Grand Prix of Cleveland started hosting CART races.
1983: Winter Guard International Championships
This year marked the beginning of the University of Dayton hosting the Winter Guard International Championships.
January 31, 1986: Earthquake in LeRoy Township
A 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck LeRoy Township in Lake County on January 31, 1986, followed by numerous aftershocks over the subsequent two months.
1990: Cincinnati Reds World Series Victory
The Cincinnati Reds won their fifth World Series title.
1990: Ohio's Population Center in 1990
Ohio's population center in 1990 was located about 6,346 feet south and west of its location in 2000.
1990: Beginning of Deindustrialization
Starting in 1990, Ohio began to experience a significant decline in manufacturing jobs, a trend that would continue into the 21st century. From 1990 to 2019, Ohio lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs.
1993: National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)
This act, passed in 1993, set standards for voter registration and aimed to make it easier for citizens to register and vote.
1994: Implementation of Voter Purge Policy
Ohio instituted a policy in 1994 to purge voters who had not voted frequently.
2000: Ohio's Center of Population in Morrow County
By the year 2000, Ohio's population center was located in Mount Gilead, the county seat of Morrow County.
2000: Decline in Union Membership
In 2000, 17.4% of Ohioan workers were union members, but by 2022, this number had fallen to 12.8%, reflecting a nationwide trend of declining union membership.
2002: Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
This federal law, enacted in 2002, provided funding to states to improve their voting processes and replace outdated voting systems.
2003: Last Year of Rotating Championships
This was the last year the Winter Guard International Championships were held at multiple venues before permanently settling in Dayton.
2005: Permanent Home for Championships
The University of Dayton became the permanent home of the Winter Guard International Championships.
2006: Decline in Median Household Income
The median household income in Ohio experienced a 7% decrease from 2006–07 to 2008–09, indicating the economic hardship faced by many Ohioans during this период.
December 2007: Start of Job Losses During Recession
From December 2007 to September 2010, Ohio experienced a significant loss of 376,500 jobs as a result of the Great Recession.
2007: Job Loss Since Recession
In 2007, prior to the recession, Ohio had 45,000 more jobs than it did as of February 2018.
2007: End of CART Races
The Grand Prix of Cleveland held its last CART race.
2008: Columbus Crew MLS Cup Victory
The Columbus Crew won their first MLS Cup championship.
2008: U.S. News & World Report High School Rankings
U.S. News & World Report ranked Ohio as having the eighth best high schools in 2008.
2008: Ranking of Ohio Public Libraries
A 2008 study ranked Ohio's public library system as the best in the United States.
2008: Record Foreclosure Filings in Ohio
Ohio faced a record number of foreclosure filings in 2009, with 89,053 filings recorded as a consequence of the economic downturn.
2008: Largest Manufacturing Sector by GDP
In 2008, Ohio had the third-largest manufacturing sector out of all fifty U.S. states in terms of gross domestic product.
December 2009: Unemployment Rate Peaks During Great Recession
Ohio's unemployment rate peaked at 11.1% in both December 2009 and January 2010 during the Great Recession.
2009: Beginning of Income Growth Period
From 2009 to 2012, Ohio saw a period of income growth where overall income increased by 7.1%.
2009: Business Tax Index Ranking
In 2009, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council's Business Tax Index ranked Ohio as having the 10th best business-friendly tax system.
January 2010: Unemployment Rate Remains at 11.1%
The unemployment rate in Ohio remained at 11.1% in January 2010, matching the peak reached in December 2009.
May 2010: Unemployment Rate
Ohio's unemployment rate in May 2010 was 10.7%
September 2010: End of Job Losses During Recession
By September 2010, Ohio had lost a total of 376,500 jobs since the beginning of the Great Recession in December 2007.
2010: Shift in Voter Demographics
After the 2010 midterm elections, Ohio's voter demographic began to favor the Republican Party.
2010: Ohio Wins Economic Development Award
In recognition of its efforts to diversify its economy and promote new industries, Ohio received the International Economic Development Council's Excellence in Economic Development Award in 2010. The award recognized the success of Ohio's "Third Frontier" program, initiated during the governorship of Bob Taft, which aimed to stimulate investment in Ohio and foster the growth of its technology sector.
2010: Association of Religion Data Archives Study
In their 2010 study, the ARDA found that the largest Christian denominations by adherents in Ohio were the Catholic Church with 1,992,567; the United Methodist Church with 496,232; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 223,253, the Southern Baptist Convention with 171,000, the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ with 141,311, the United Church of Christ with 118,000, and the Presbyterian Church (USA) with 110,000.
2010: 2010 Census in Ohio
The 2010 United States Census was recorded.
2010: Languages Spoken in Ohio
According to the 2010 census, approximately 6.7% of Ohio residents aged five and older reported speaking a language other than English at home.
2010: Foreign-Born Residents in Ohio
According to the 2010 census, 469,700 foreign-born individuals resided in Ohio, representing 4.1% of the total population.
2010: Site Selection Magazine Ranking
In 2010, Site Selection magazine ranked Ohio second in the country for best business climate.
2010: U.S. News & World Report College Rankings
According to U.S. News & World Report's 2010 rankings, Ohio had five of the top 115 colleges in the nation.
December 31, 2011: Earthquake near Youngstown
On December 31, 2011, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake occurred approximately 2.5 miles northwest of Youngstown, Ohio.
2011: Demographics of Ohio
In 2011, 27.6% of children under one year old in Ohio belonged to minority groups.
2011: Start of Voter Roll Purge Period
This year marked the beginning of a period where Ohio removed a significant number of voters from its rolls.
2012: End of Income Growth Period
By the end of 2012, the top 1% of earners in Ohio had seen an income increase of 37%, while the bottom 99% only experienced a 2.3% increase. The top 1% of earners accounted for 71.9% of the shared income during this period.
August 2014: Unemployment Returns to Pre-Recession Level
It wasn't until August 2014 that Ohio's unemployment rate returned to 5.6%, the same level it held in the first two months of 2008 before the onset of the Great Recession.
2014: Pew Forum Poll
A Pew Forum poll in 2014 showed that 56% of Ohioans felt that religion was "very important", 25% "somewhat important", and 19% "not too important/not important at all".
April 2015: Labor Force Participation Rate
The labor force participation rate in Ohio as of April 2015 was 63%, slightly above the national average.
April 2016: Lawsuit Regarding Voter Purges
A lawsuit was filed challenging Ohio's policy of removing inactive voters from its rolls. The lawsuit claimed this practice violated federal voting laws.
November 2016: Impact of Court Ruling on Election
The federal courts ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, preventing the removal of thousands of voters just weeks before the November 2016 election.
2016: U.S. Census Bureau Data
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2016, the total number of employed people in Ohio was 4,790,178. The total number of employer establishments was 252,201, and non-employer establishments was 785,833. Ohio's gross domestic product in 2016 was $626 billion, making it the seventh-largest economy in the U.S.
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Championship Victory
The Cleveland Cavaliers won their first NBA championship.
2016: Presidential Election
This was the last election in Ohio's long streak of voting for the winning president, ending with Donald Trump.
2017: Estimated Number of Voters Removed
In 2017, it was estimated that Ohio had removed up to two million voters from its rolls since 2011.
February 2018: Unemployment Rate
Ohio's unemployment rate in February 2018 was 4.5%
2018: Income Tax Burden
In 2018, lower-income tax brackets shouldered a disproportionate amount of the income tax burden. The bottom 20% of earners contributed 12.3% of their income towards taxes, while the top 1% only paid 6.5%.
June 10, 2019: Earthquake near Eastlake
On June 10, 2019, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded under Lake Erie, about 3.1 miles north-northwest of Eastlake, Ohio.
2019: Ohio Voter Demographics
As of 2019, there were more than 7.8 million registered voters in Ohio, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats.
2019: Fortune 500 Companies in Columbus
In 2019, Columbus had six corporations on the U.S. Fortune 500 list: Alliance Data, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, American Electric Power, L Brands, Huntington Bancshares, and Cardinal Health (in suburban Dublin).
2019: Ohio's Economy in 2019
In 2019, Ohio ranked seventh among U.S. states in GDP. It had the third-largest manufacturing sector in the country and the second-largest automobile production.
2019: Inauguration of Mike DeWine
Mike DeWine, a member of the Republican Party, was inaugurated as the governor of Ohio in 2019.
2019: Growth in Non-Manufacturing Jobs
Despite the loss of manufacturing jobs, Ohio saw substantial growth in non-manufacturing jobs from 1990 to 2019, adding over 1,000,000 jobs in those sectors.
March 9, 2020: COVID-19 Reaches Ohio
The first three cases of the COVID-19 pandemic were reported in Ohio on March 9, 2020.
2020: Donald Trump's Victory in Ohio
In the 2020 presidential election, incumbent Republican Donald Trump won Ohio by an eight-point margin over Democratic challenger Joe Biden, despite losing the election overall.
2020: Columbus Crew MLS Cup Victory
The Columbus Crew won their second MLS Cup.
2020: 2020 Census in Ohio
The 2020 United States Census counted 11,808,848 people living in Ohio, a 2.4% increase from 2010.
2020: Association of Religion Data Archives Study
The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) conducted a study in 2020 that demonstrated Christianity was the predominant religion in Ohio, with Catholicism as the largest single denomination at 1,820,233 adherents.
2020: Congressional Apportionment
Following the 2020 census, Ohio lost one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, leaving it with 15 seats.
2020: Presidential Election
Donald Trump, the incumbent Republican president, lost the election to Joe Biden, a Democrat. Ohio did not support Biden.
2020: Ohio Lottery Contributions to Education
By 2020, the Ohio Lottery had contributed over $26 billion to education since it began in 1974.
2020: Ohio State Buckeyes Football Success
As of 2020, the Ohio State Buckeyes football team held the second-highest all-time winning percentage in college football history.
2020: Study on Voting Access
A 2020 study ranked Ohio as the 17th most difficult state for citizens to vote in.
2021: Public Religion Research Institute's 2021 American Values Survey
The Public Religion Research Institute conducted the American Values Survey in 2021, and in it, they found that 64% of Ohioans identified as Christian, with a further 30% unaffiliated with any religious body.
2022: Current Composition of Ohio's Congressional Delegation
As of the 2022 election cycle, Ohio's congressional delegation consists of ten Republicans and five Democrats.
2022: Union Membership at 12.8%
By 2022, union membership in Ohio had declined to 12.8% of the workforce, down from 17.4% in 2000.
2022: Ohio General Assembly Election
Following the 2022 election cycle, the Republican party became the majority party in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly.
2022: Homelessness in Ohio
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report estimated that there were 10,654 homeless people in Ohio.
2022: Cincinnati Bearcats Football Makes History
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats football team became the first team from a "Group of Five" conference to qualify for the College Football Playoff.
February 2023: COVID-19 Deaths in Ohio
By February 2023, over 41,600 people in Ohio had died from COVID-19.
2023: Per Capita Income and Poverty Rate
In 2023, Ohio's per capita income was $60,402, ranking 38th in the U.S. The state's median household income was $65,720, and 13.4% of the population was living below the poverty line.
2023: Columbus Crew MLS Cup Victory
The Columbus Crew won their third MLS Cup championship.
2024: Upcoming Presidential Election
Ohio will have 15 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 2024 presidential election.
2028: Upcoming Presidential Election
Ohio will have 15 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 2028 presidential election.