Ohio’s Firsts & Originals


America 250-Ohio Featured Events

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America 250-Ohio is proud to offer Ohioans the following "Featured Events" to help you explore this theme. These carefully crafted experiences and programs shine a spotlight on Ohio's many contributions to the American story over the past 250 years and beyond.

Catch up on the full recording of our evening webinar, live from the two-day New Perspectives on the Northwest Ordinance conference, presented in collaboration with The Ohio State University.

Ohio's Firsts & Originals Events

January 2026
February 2026
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Resources

Ohio’s history began long before its statehood in 1803. In fact, our state is home to some of the nation’s most significant Native American sites.

Ohio’s journey to statehood is an important part of our state’s history. From the first settlement in Marietta to the first capital of Chillicothe, Ohio’s road to statehood is filled with interesting moments.

The Road to Statehood

Finding Lost Patriots’ Graves* (America 250-Ohio Blog)

250th Anniversary of the Fort Gower Resolves* (America 250-Ohio Blog)

Fort Meigs: The Battleground for Democracy* (America 250-Ohio Blog)

Ohio’s Founding and Early Statehood Timeline (OHC)

The Northwest Ordinance (National Archives)

The Point of Beginning (East Liverpool Historical Society)

Early Ohio History (The Ohio Project)

Early Marietta Blog (Campus Martius)

Settling Marietta (Ohio Memory)

Chillicothe’s Pivotal Role in Ohio’s Path to Statehood and Early Industry Development (ABC6 News Amazing America 250 Series)

Celebration of Ohio’s First Veterans (Ohio School for the Deaf and The Ohio State School for the Blind)

Your Next Historic Adventure (Washington County CVB)

The Pioneers (Book by David McCullough)

The Ohio Frontier (Book by Dr. R. Douglas Hurt)


The Underground Railroad

September 2026 Underground Railroad Gathering* (America 250-Ohio Featured Event)

The Underground Railroad (NewsDepth)

Ohio Historical Underground Railroad Trail (Ohio.org)

Network to Freedom Sites (NPS)

The River-to-Lake Freedom Trail (ODOT and the Friends of Freedom Society)

Ohio’s Underground Railroad Stations (OHC)

Online Learning Resources (UGRR Freedom Center)

The UGRR in Ohio Learning Module (Ohio Digital Network)

Wilbur H. Siebert Collection (OHC)

Front Line of Freedom (Book by Keith P. Griffler)

The Underground Railroad in Ohio (Book by Kathy Schulz)

Book Talk: The Underground Railroad in Ohio (OHC Interview with Kathy Schulz)

The Conductor (Book by Caleb Franz)

Tales of Ohio’s Underground Railroad (Book by David Meyers and Elise Meyers Walker)

Ohio was a popular route for freedom seekers who used a network of safe houses around the state to escape slavery. Many Underground Railroad sites still survive today, a powerful reminder of Ohio’s role in the fight for freedom.

Ohio has played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of American history, with eight US presidents calling Ohio home.


Ohio’s Presidents

Ohio’s Presidential Past (Western Reserve Historical Society)

Ohio Presidential Trail (OHC)

Ohio’s Presidents (Ohio Statehouse)

Ohio Presidents Trivia (Midstory)

Visiting the Presidents Podcast (Dr. Joe Faykosh)

Grant (Book by Ron Chernow)

Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior & President (Book by Ari Hoogenboom)

President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier (Book by C. W. Goodyear)

William Henry Harrison (Book by Gail Collins)

Benjamin Harrison (Book by Charles W. Calhoun)

President McKinley: Architect of the American Century (Book by Robert W. Merry)

The William Howard Taft Presidency (Book by Lewis L. Gould)

Jazz Age President: Defending Warren G. Harding (Book by Ryan S. Walters)


As a center of innovation and entrepreneurship, Ohio is the home of many “Firsts and Originals.”

Partners

This event is proudly sponsored by