You probably know reading about history can sometimes be a drag, but actually going to see for yourself the locations where these events took place can be quite different.
Ohio has done a pretty good job at preserving some of Ohio’s important locations, at the very least the state has put up a sign. You’ll see them all over the place. Most people usually ignore them, but if you take a few moments to stop and see, you’ll find that Ohio has had a dramatic history worth exploring. Seeing firsthand the exact spots where events unfolded that helped shape our country can have a lasting memory.
Everyone knows about the Wright Brothers and their contribution to aviation, but did you ever wonder why 2 brothers from Dayton could be the ones to solve the dilemma of controlled flight? They credited their success, in part, to having been raised in Ohio and the entrepreneurial environment that surrounded them as they were growing up in Dayton.
These just weren’t 2 guys looking to solve the mystery of the ages, they wanted to be a success at business. As boys they started out selling advertising space and printing in Dayton. Not content to be just printers, the young men expand their business to include the new fad of the day: bicycles. Using this business as a base, they began looking into powered flight using their bicycle shop, tools and engineering skills to take that giant step of controlled flight.
Time and again, it was this entrepreneurial environment found in Ohio that fostered new innovations, products and business. But why here? The answer lies in the fact that these entrepreneurs were not that far removed from the early settlers that braved extreme dangers and hardships just coming here but they came anyway. There was nothing promised, no backup safety net for them, no guarantees. Their spirit and determined self-reliance guided them. Not everyone survived, nor did everyone stay. Many coming here just couldn’t stand up to the hardships and they returned back east. Those that stayed and survived developed a resolve and ingenuity that became known as the Spirit of Ohio.
Today, all across Ohio we can find traces of that spirit. Many times it’s just a historical marker. Sometimes its just a name on a map or maybe the name of a city that is deeply embedded in Ohio’s Spirit. Traveling back before those first settlers we know the land has been occupied by many cultures that appreciated Ohio’s natural wealth. The abundant north / south flowing rivers made it possible to easily move from the vast lake regions to the north and the beautiful Ohio River to the south. The 4 season climate made an ideal place for both hunting and farming. I’m sure these reasons alone would have been major factors why the Mound Builders first came here and thrived here for centuries. When the land was first surveyed, detailed descriptions of the mounds were made. In all, there were some 3000+ mounds and earthworks in Ohio that no one at the time had a clue as to why they existed or who built them.
After the Mound Builders, came groups of Native Americans from the north, east and south. They too appreciated the slow-moving north / south waterways that could quickly transport their large 18-man canoes. The rivers we see today, are nothing like the rivers they traveled across. Our modern culture has stripped away much of the thick forested areas and swampy prairies that moderated water flow throughout the year that kept the rivers flowing even during the driest of months.
When the settlers began moving into the area, conflicts arose. Neither culture trusted the other despite repeated attempts at educating both sides. These conflicts ultimately led to increasing military actions. One Native American Shawnee known as Techumseh, made one final attempt at uniting the various tribal groups in Ohio, but during the War of 1812, he was killed in battle and with his death, and the outcome of that war, brought an end to the Native Americans in Ohio. Each spring Fort Meigs in Perrysburg offers re-enactments of the Siege at Fort Meigs during the War of 1812 that helped turn the tide in the war. Visitors to the reconstructed fort will be amazed at the shear size of the structure that was constructed during the late winter months of 1813.
Our history revolves around good transportation
First we built a successful canal system that made it possible to ship the fruits of our labor to the rest of the world. Then we built a National Road that connected Ohio to the east coast giving us another way of shipping goods and products to other markets. When the railroad became feasible, Ohio eagerly pursued railroad development. In 1840 there were just 40 miles of railroad in the state. By the early 1900s, there over 9,500 miles of railroad in operation. Railroads allowed Ohio to ship large quantities of raw materials including coal and pig iron that helped build the rest of the country. Passenger service also connected not only the major cities, but also many of the smaller communities in the state, making it possible for residents to go anywhere in the state in just a few hours where before it could days of tedious travel.
After World War II, like most of the country, Ohio embraced long distance trucking and in the 1950s construction of the interstate system began linking all of the cities. Ohio today has interstate or 4 line highways that connect almost all areas of the state. Odd-numbered highways travel from the north to the south and even-numbered ones travel east to west. At this writing, Ohio has 27 designated Scenic Highways.
A few facts about Ohio
Ohio only ranks 34th in size by area, but it is the 7th-most populous state in the country. Ohio has been nicknamed the “Mother of Presidents” having had 8 presidents who claimed residency in Ohio at the time of their election. Ohio has the nation’s 10th largest highway network, and is within a 1 day drive of half of all of North America’s population and 70% of North America’s manufacturing capacity. We can’t verify this fact though, but we think Ohio residents, are by far, the the friendliest in the country. You may disagree, but unless you’ve travelled the back roads of our state, you’ll never know for sure.
