Ohio’s 203rd Birthday - State Sen. Jim Jordan

Note: Guest column by State Sen. Jim Jordan. Actually I received permission to post his news column from his office. It is appreciated and his columns are interesting. So welcome our guest blogger of moment. It should also be said that the Senator’s views are conservative, but his column here doesn’t indicate that he agrees with my views on topics covered in this blog.

On March 1, 1803, Ohio became the 17th state in the Union. Today, 203 years later, we are the 7th largest state in population and 7th in the size of our economy.

Ohio has had a great influence upon the White House. Eight Ohioans have reached our nation’s highest office. This distinction has earned the Buckeye State the title “The Mother of Presidents.” Only the Commonwealth of Virginia has sent as many Presidents to the White House.

Ohio is also a state of many “firsts.” According to the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio is ranked 1st in the nation for production of steel products, 1st in the nation for research and development of plastic products, and 1st in the nation for production of rubber products.

Additionally, many Ohioans achieved things unknown before their times. Neil Armstrong from Wapakoneta was the first man to walk on the moon and John Glenn of New Concord was the first man to orbit the Earth. Thomas Edison of Milan invented the light bulb, the phonograph, and the early motion picture camera. Paul Lauterbur of Sidney invented the MRI. Willard Harrison Bennett of Findlay invented the radio-frequency mass spectrometer, which measures the mass of atoms. Roy Plunkett of New Carlisle invented Teflon. George Bartholomew of Bellefontaine invented cement pavement, which lead to the first cement roadway in 1891. John Lambert of Ohio City gave America its first automobile when he manufactured his three-wheel buggy. And, of course, the famous Wright Brothers of Dayton invented flight.

The Buckeye State is home to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and along with it, its research capacity. We are also the home of several nationally-acclaimed academic programs, including the education schools at Bowling Green State University and Ohio State University, the College of Polymer Science at the University of Akron, the School of Journalism at Ohio University, the medical program at Ohio State University, and many other programs. Oberlin University was also the first interracial coeducation college in the United States.

The rest of the world has been inspired by the work of many of our state’s famous actors and musicians, including Phyllis Diller of Lima, Clark Gable of Cadiz, Dean Martin of Steubenville, Devo of Akron, Rascal Flatts of Columbus, and Roy Rogers of Cincinnati. Hallie Berry and Drew Carey both hail from Cleveland. John Legend, the talented singer/songwriter from Springfield, was nominated for eight Grammy Awards this year.

I am very proud to be an Ohioan and I hope you share my pride for our state as we celebrate our state’s 203rd birthday.

As always, I appreciate hearing the concerns and comments of my constituents. If you have any questions or problems related to state government, please contact my office by writing an e-mail to jjordan@mailr.sen.state.oh.us; or by calling 614-466-7584, or by writing to Senator Jim Jordan, Ohio Senate, Statehouse, Columbus, OH 43215.

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