Statehood Day Honors Ohio’s Admittance Into the Union

Did you know that Ohio was the 17th state to be admitted to the Union? There is some dispute about the actual date in 1803 when that occurred, but Statehood Day is marked by historical and preservation societies in the Buckeye state every March 1.

Today, a lunchtime celebration will be held at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, featuring one of Ohio’s favorite sons. John Glenn, a former U.S. Senator from Ohio and the first American astronaut to orbit the earth 50 years ago, will be the keynote speaker. Admission is free.

Even if you won’t be in our capital city, there are ways to remember the birthday of our state. Take a look at the Ohio Statehouse website for interesting information about Ohio. http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Index.aspx?playVideo=False

You might also want to see photographs of the actual documents that show the birth of the state, dating back to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/ohio-statehood/index.html

There is a wealth of material available to help us appreciate our roots. Happy 209th birthday Ohio!