The nickname for Ohio and its
inhabitants--Buckeye--became official in 1953 when the legislature
named the Ohio Buckeye the state tree. The buckeye tree derives the
name from its large brown seeds, which resemble the eyes of the
white-tailed deer.
State Bird
Cardinal
Ohio adopted the cardinal as
its official bird in 1933. A permanent resident of Ohio, the cardinal
is known for its clear, strong song and brilliant plumage.The northern
cardinal is also the state bird for six other states: Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
State Flower
Scarlet Carnation
The red carnation was adopted as Ohio's state
flower in 1904 in memory of President William McKinley, who always wore
a red carnation in his lapel.
State Animal White tailed deer
Now deer live in all 88 Ohio
counties.. From about 1904 to 1923 very few, if any, deer lived in
Ohio. That’s because deer hunting was unregulated before the year 1900
and there were no laws to protect deer. Also, the food, water,
shelter, and space deer need to live had been destroyed. Thanks to the Division of Wildlife, deer are back
in Ohio. More than 450,000 whitetails live in the state. They returned
because deer hunting is now highly regulated. Now there are so many
deer
living in Ohio, deer hunting is necessary to control the size of the
deer
herd. Deer hunting is the most popular type of hunting in Ohio.
State Fossil Trilobite
The isotelus, commonly known
as the trilobite existed in Ohio 440 million years ago when salt water
covered the state. The creature was about 14 inches long and resembled
the modern horseshoe crab. The largest trilobite fossil was discovered
in the Dayton area in 1919.
State Insect Ladybug
In June 1975 the Ohio
legislature named the ladybug as the state insect. The ladybug is a
favorite of both children and adults due to its beauty and helpful
instinct to eat other insects that can be harmful to crops and flowers.
State Flag
Ohio's official flag was adopted by
an Act of the Ohio Legislature on May 9, 1902. The Ohio burgee, as the
swallow-tailed design is properly called, was drawn by John Eisenmann,
architect and designer for the Ohio State Pan-American Exposition
Commission. The Ohio flag has three red and two white horizontal
stripes. At its staff end, in a blue triangular field whose apex is at
the center of the middle red stripe, are 17 white, five-pointed stars
grouped around a red disc superimposed upon a white circular O.Mr.
Eisenmann explained its symbolism most aptly: "The triangles formed by
the main lines of the flag represent the hills and valleys as typified
in the State Seal, and the stripes the roads and waterways. The stars,
indicating the 13 original states of the Union, are grouped about the
circle which represents the Northwest Territory; and that Ohio was the
seventeenth state admitted into the Union is shown by adding four more
stars. The white circle with its red center, not only represents the
initial letter of Ohio, but is suggestive of its being the 'Buckeye
State'."
State Reptile
Black RacerSnake
In 1955 the General Assembly
adopted the black racer snake as the state reptile because it is native
to all 88 Ohio counties and is called the “farmer’s friend” due to its
tendency to diet on disease-carrying rodents.
State Beverage Tomato Juice
Ohio leads the country in the
production of tomato juice and is second only to California in tomato
growing. Tomato juice became the state beverage in 1965.
State Wildflower White Trillium
In 1986, the plant Trillium
grandiflorum, commonly known as the large white trillium, found in
every Ohio county, was adopted as the state wild flower.
Map of State of Ohio Capital - Columbus Location & Region - 39.98893 N,
082.98738 W Midwest Constitution Ratified - 1851 Statehood - March 01, 1803 17th state Population - 11,353,140; 7th Area: 44828 sq.mi, 34th Land 40953
sq. mi., 35th Water 3875 sq.mi., 14th Great
Lakes 3,499 sq.mi. Number of Counties - 88 Counties in Ohio
Great Seal
The current design of the Great
Seal of
the State of Ohio was officially adopted in 1967 and modified in 1996.
In
the foreground, a sheaf of wheat represents Ohio's agricultural
strength. A bundle of 17 arrows symbolizes Ohio's status as the 17th
state admitted to the union. Thirteen rays around the sun represent the
thirteen original colonies shining over the first state in the
Northwest Territory. The background contains a portrayal of Mount
Logan, with a three-quarter full sun rising behind it--symbolizing that
Ohio was the first state west of the Allegheny Mountains.
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