Are you interested in learning some fun facts about Ohio? If you are from this state or have relatives or friends living there, you may want to know some little known trivia about this location. To indulge your curiosity, let’s examine a list of some of the most entertaining tidbits below!
Did you know that the first ambulance service in this country was started in Ohio? It’s true, and Cincinnati can boast this achievement dating back to 1865. Speaking of driving, Cleveland installed the first traffic light in the nation in 1914. Other firsts for Ohio include having a professional baseball team (the Cincinnati Reds), hiring a full time and professional fire department (Cincinnati), and using police cars (Akron).
Some notable inventions were created in Ohio as well, such as the hot dog, which was thought up by Harry M. Stevens in 1900. The cash register was invented in 1879 in Dayton, by one James J. Ritty, to keep his customer’s from stealing from him! Also, pop top soda cans found their start in Kettering, having been invented by Ermal Fraze. Without Charles Kettering from Loundonville, we’d still be cranking our cars by hand today, as he invented the self-starter in 1911. Also, Charles Goodyear perfected a way to vulcanize rubber in 1839, in Akron. Finally, the first car in the nation was built right in Ohio City, by a man named John Lambert.
Ohio is home to several one of a kind items as well, such as the world’s largest basket, found in Basket Village USA. The 34th largest state also has the only city to sit simultaneously in three counties (Fostoria). Finally, Ohio has the only bridge which allows you to walk across it, and remain on the same side of the river! Named unique in the world by Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the “Y” shaped bridge found in Zanesville crosses over the Muskingum and Licking Rivers.
With all of these amazing facts in your possession, now you’ll never be stumped if you are asked trivia questions about Ohio. You can entertain your family and friends, with your new found and little known facts about this interesting state!
