The ' French Lick Scenic Railway is located in French Lick, Indiana , United States .
89-528: The Indiana Railway Museum was founded in 1961 in the Decatur County town of Westport with one locomotive and three passenger cars. The museum relocated to Greensburg and then in 1978 to French Lick after the Southern Railway deeded a total of sixteen miles of right of way stretching from West Baden, Indiana, approximately one mile north of French Lick, to a small village named Dubois, to
178-513: A party affiliation and to be residents of the county. Decatur County is part of Indiana's 6th congressional district ; Indiana Senate district 42; and Indiana House of Representatives district 67. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 25,740 people, 9,977 households, and 6,995 families in the county. The population density was 69.1 inhabitants per square mile (26.7/km ). There were 11,209 housing units at an average density of 30.1 per square mile (11.6/km ). The racial makeup of
267-682: A small claims court that handles civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court . County Officials: The county has other elected offices, including sheriff , coroner , auditor , treasurer , recorder , surveyor , and circuit court clerk . These officers are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare
356-736: A bill in Congress to admit Ohio to the Union retroactive to March 1, 1803, the date on which the Ohio General Assembly first convened. At a special session at the old state capital in Chillicothe , the Ohio state legislature approved a new petition for statehood, which was delivered to Washington, D.C. , on horseback, and approved that August. Ohio has had three capital cities: Chillicothe, Zanesville , and Columbus . Chillicothe
445-789: A conclusion. In 1774, Britain passed the Quebec Act , which formally annexed Ohio and other western lands to the Province of Quebec in order to provide a civil government and to centralize British administration of the Montreal -based fur trade. The prohibition of settlement west of the Appalachians remained, contributing to the American Revolution. By the start of the American Revolutionary War ,
534-686: A decisive victor. In the Treaty of Paris in 1783, Britain ceded all claims to Ohio Country to the new United States after its victory in the American Revolutionary War . The United States created the Northwest Territory under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Slavery was not permitted in the new territory. Settlement began with the founding of Marietta by the Ohio Company of Associates , which had been formed by
623-752: A group of American Revolutionary War veterans. Following the Ohio Company, the Miami Company (also referred to as the " Symmes Purchase ") claimed the southwestern section, and the Connecticut Land Company surveyed and settled the Connecticut Western Reserve in present-day Northeast Ohio . Territorial surveyors from Fort Steuben began surveying an area of eastern Ohio called the Seven Ranges at about
712-429: A large decline in union membership: 17.4% of Ohioan workers were union members in 2000, while 12.8% were union members in 2022. In the wake of these economic changes, Ohio's state government has looked to promoting new industries to offset manufacturing losses, such as the production of solar energy and electric vehicles . One major program the state government launched was the "Third Frontier" program, created during
801-541: A national model of success. Ohio's economy was also heavily afflicted by the Great Recession , as the state's unemployment rate rose from 5.6% in the first two months of 2008 up to a peak of 11.1% in December 2009 and January 2010. It took until August 2014 for the unemployment rate to return to 5.6%. From December 2007 to September 2010, Ohio lost 376,500 jobs. In 2009, Ohio had 89,053 foreclosures filings,
890-660: A potential market for Ohio machinery exports. In July 1979, Rhodes led a State of Ohio Trade Mission to China. The trip resulted in developing economic ties, a sister state-province relationship with Hubei province , long-running Chinese exhibitions at the Ohio State Fair , and major academic exchanges between Ohio State University and Wuhan University . Beginning in the 1980s, the state entered into international economic and resource cooperation treaties and organizations with other Midwestern states, as well as New York , Pennsylvania , Ontario , and Quebec , including
979-729: A riot in downtown Kent and the burning of an ROTC building. The main cause of the protests was the United States' invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War . Ohio was an important state in the developing ties between the United States and the People's Republic of China in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Relations between the two countries normalized in 1979, during the second term of Ohio governor Jim Rhodes . Rhodes sought to encourage economic ties, viewing China as
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#17327878988061068-711: A system of trading posts to control the fur trade in the region. Beginning in 1754, the Kingdom of France and Kingdom of Great Britain fought in the French and Indian War , with various Native American tribes on each side. As a result of the Treaty of Paris , the French ceded control of Ohio and the remainder of the Old Northwest to Great Britain in 1763. Before the American Revolution, Britain thinly exercised sovereignty over Ohio Country by lackadaisical garrisoning of
1157-403: A then-record for the state. The median household income dropped 7% from 2006–07 to 2008–09, and the poverty rate ballooned to 13.5% by 2009. By 2015, Ohio gross domestic product was $ 608.1 billion, the seventh-largest economy among the 50 states . In 2015, Ohio's total GDP accounted for 3.4% of U.S. GDP and 0.8% of world GDP. Politically, Ohio has been long regarded as a swing state , but
1246-556: Is Columbus , with other large population centers including Cleveland , Cincinnati , Dayton , Akron , and Toledo . Ohio is nicknamed the "Buckeye State" after its Ohio buckeye trees , and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes". Ohio derives its name from the Ohio River that forms its southern border, which, in turn, originated from the Seneca word ohiːyo' , meaning "good river", "great river", or "large creek". The state
1335-522: Is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States . It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the west, and Michigan to the northwest. Of the 50 U.S. states , it is the 34th-largest by area . With a population of nearly 11.8 million, Ohio is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated state . Its capital and most populous city
1424-552: Is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana , and by the Indiana Code . County Council: The legislative branch of the county government; controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. They set salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in
1513-589: Is defined by the Ohio River . Ohio's neighbors are Pennsylvania to the east, Michigan to the northwest, Lake Erie to the north, Indiana to the west, Kentucky on the south, and West Virginia on the southeast. Ohio's borders were defined by metes and bounds in the Enabling Act of 1802 as follows: Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line, on the south by the Ohio River, to the mouth of
1602-417: Is fully aquatic and breathes almost entirely through its skin. Due to this, it is only found in pristine, cool, clear, fast flowing streams and rivers. It is highly threatened by habitat loss , water pollution , and sedimentation due to logging and other human activities. The climate of Ohio is a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa/Dfb ) throughout most of the state, except in
1691-574: Is known as the Tornado Alley . Severe lake effect snowstorms are also not uncommon on the southeast shore of Lake Erie , which is located in an area designated as the Snowbelt . Although predominantly not in a subtropical climate, some warmer-climate flora and fauna do reach well into Ohio. For instance, some trees with more southern ranges, such as the blackjack oak , Quercus marilandica , are found at their northernmost in Ohio just north of
1780-791: Is land and 0.76 square miles (2.0 km ) (or 0.20%) is water. In recent years, average temperatures in Greensburg have ranged from a low of 19 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −24 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.42 inches (61 mm) in February to 5.03 inches (128 mm) in May. The county government
1869-601: The 2020 United States Census , the population was 26,472. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Greensburg . In 1787, the US defined the Northwest Territory which included the area of present-day Indiana. In 1800, Congress separated Ohio from the Northwest Territory, designating the rest of the land as the Indiana Territory . President Thomas Jefferson chose William Henry Harrison as
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#17327878988061958-740: The Appalachian Regional Development Act , an attempt to "address the persistent poverty and growing economic despair of the Appalachian Region". It defines 29 Ohio counties as part of Appalachia. While 1/3 of Ohio's land mass is part of the federally defined Appalachian region, only 12.8% of Ohioans live there (1.476 million people.) Significant Ohio rivers include the Cuyahoga River , Great Miami River , Maumee River , Muskingum River , and Scioto River . The rivers in northern Ohio drain into
2047-689: The Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument and Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial . Ohio has wide variety of unique animal species. Rare and endangered species include the Eastern Hellbender , which is found in the Southeastern Appalachian region of Ohio and is classified as state endangered. The Eastern Hellbender is the 3rd largest amphibian in the world, and can grow up to 27 inches in length. It
2136-841: The Dayton Triangles beat the Columbus Panhandles 14–0 in Dayton. Canton was enshrined as the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. During the 1930s, the Great Depression struck the state hard. By 1933, more than 40% of factory workers and 67% of construction workers were unemployed in Ohio. Approximately 50% of industrial workers in Cleveland and 80% in Toledo became unemployed, with
2225-648: The Enabling Act of 1802 . In regard to the Leni Lenape natives, Congress decided that 10,000 acres on the Muskingum River in the present state of Ohio would "be set apart and the property thereof be vested in the Moravian Brethren ... or a society of the said Brethren for civilizing the Indians and promoting Christianity". Rufus Putnam served in important military capacities in both
2314-566: The French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War . He was one of the most highly respected men in the early years of the United States. In 1776, Putnam created a method of building portable fortifications, which enabled the Continental Army to drive the British from Boston. George Washington was so impressed that he made Putnam his chief engineer. After the war, Putnam and Manasseh Cutler were instrumental in creating
2403-506: The Great Black Swamp . This glaciated region in the northwest and central state is bordered to the east and southeast first by a belt known as the glaciated Allegheny Plateau , and then by another belt known as the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau . Most of Ohio is of low relief, but the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau features rugged hills and forests . Ohio's rugged southeastern quadrant, stretching in an outward bow-like arc along
2492-548: The Great Dayton Flood , the entire Miami River watershed flooded, including the downtown business district of Dayton . As a result, the Miami Conservancy District was created as the first major floodplain engineering project in Ohio and the United States. The highest recorded temperature was 113 °F (45 °C ), near Gallipolis on July 21, 1934. The lowest recorded temperature
2581-847: The Great Lakes Charter , Great Lakes Compact , and the Council of Great Lakes Governors . Ohio's economy has undergone significant change in the 21st century, as the trend of deindustrialization has greatly impacted the American Midwest and the Rust Belt . Manufacturing in the Midwest experienced a stark decline during the early 21st century, a trend that greatly impacted Ohio. From 1990 to 2019, it lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs, but added over 1,000,000 non-manufacturing jobs. Coinciding with this decline, Ohio has seen
2670-536: The Great Miami River , on the west by the line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami aforesaid, and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan , running east after intersecting the due north line aforesaid, from the mouth of the Great Miami until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line, and thence with the same through Lake Erie to
2759-465: The Native Americans in the 1809 treaty of Fort Wayne , and by the treaty of St. Mary's in 1818 considerably more territory became property of the government. This included the future Decatur County, which was authorized by the state legislature on December 12, 1821. No settler was allowed in the area until the government survey was completed in 1820. The Decatur County governing structure
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2848-408: The Northwest Ordinance , which opened up the Northwest Territory for settlement. This land was used to serve as compensation for what was owed to Revolutionary War veterans. Putnam organized and led the Ohio Company of Associates , who settled at Marietta, Ohio , where they built a large fort, Campus Martius . He set substantial amounts of land aside for schools. In 1798, he created the plan for
2937-480: The Western Confederacy , was forced to cede extensive territory, including much of present-day Ohio, in the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. Under the Northwest Ordinance , areas could be defined and admitted as states once their population reached 60,000. Although Ohio's population was only 45,000 in December 1801, Congress determined that it was growing rapidly enough and accelerated the process via
3026-621: The first American to orbit the Earth , and Neil Armstrong becoming the first human to walk on the Moon . In 1967, Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland and became the first African American mayor of one of the nation's 10 most populous cities. In 1970, an Ohio Army National Guard unit fired at students during an antiwar protest at Kent State University , killing four and wounding nine. The Guard had been called onto campus after several protests in and around campus became violent, including
3115-476: The 10-mile stretch of the line between French Lick and Gradman station as a heritage railroad known as French Lick Scenic Railway. Scenic excursions consist of a 20-mile round trip throughout the Hoosier National Forest lasting approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. A highlight of the trip is passing through the 2,000 foot long Burton Tunnel. Other special events are run year round. There is
3204-500: The 17th state admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803, and the first under the Northwest Ordinance . It was the first post-colonial free state admitted to the union and became one of the earliest and most influential industrial powerhouses during the 20th century. Although it has transitioned to a more information- and service-based economy in the 21st century, it remains an industrial state, ranking seventh in GDP as of 2019 , with
3293-410: The 9,977 households, 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.9% were non-families, and 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 38.7 years. The median income for a household in
3382-581: The Adena evolved into the Hopewell people, who were also mound builders. Their complex, large and technologically sophisticated earthworks can be found in modern-day Marietta , Newark , and Circleville . They were also a prolific trading society, their trading network spanning a third of the continent. The Hopewell disappeared from the Ohio Valley about 600 AD. The Mississippian culture rose as
3471-663: The East to migrate west against their will, including all remaining tribes in Ohio. In 1835, Ohio fought with the Michigan Territory in the Toledo War , a mostly bloodless boundary war over the Toledo Strip. Only one person was injured in the conflict. Congress intervened, making Michigan 's admittance as a state conditional on ending the conflict. In exchange for giving up its claim to the Toledo Strip, Michigan
3560-718: The Fort Ancient people. It is also possible that the Monongahela held no land in Ohio during the Colonial Era. The Mississippian culture was close to and traded extensively with the Fort Ancient people. Indians in the Ohio Valley were greatly affected by the aggressive tactics of the Iroquois Confederation , based in central and western New York. After the Beaver Wars in the mid-17th century,
3649-534: The French forts. Just beyond Ohio Country was the great Miami capital of Kekionga , which became the center of British trade and influence in Ohio Country and throughout the future Northwest Territory . By the Royal Proclamation of 1763 , British lands west of Appalachia were forbidden to settlement by colonists. The Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768 explicitly reserved lands north and west of
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3738-460: The Hopewell culture declined. Many Siouan-speaking peoples from the plains and east coast claim them as ancestors and say they lived throughout the Ohio region until approximately the 13th century. There were three other cultures contemporaneous with the Mississippians: the Fort Ancient people, the Whittlesey Culture and the Monongahela Culture . All three disappeared in the 17th century. Their origins are unknown. The Shawnees may have absorbed
3827-434: The Iroquois claimed much of the Ohio country as hunting and, more importantly, beaver-trapping ground. After the devastation of epidemics and war in the mid-17th century, which largely emptied the Ohio country of Indigenous people by the mid-to-late 17th century, the land gradually became repopulated by the mostly Algonquian . Many of these Ohio-country nations were multiethnic (sometimes multi-linguistic) societies born out of
3916-424: The Lenape Indian capital of Coshocton ; a detachment of one hundred of George Rogers Clark 's troops that were ambushed near the Ohio River by Indians led by Joseph Brant in the same year; a British and Native American attack on the U.S.' Fort Laurens ; and the 1782 detainment and murder of 96 Moravian Lenape pacifists by Pennsylvania militiamen in the Gnadenhutten massacre . The western theatre never had
4005-461: The Northeast to the Midwest, much cargo and business traffic passes through its borders along its well-developed highways. Ohio has the nation's 10th-largest highway network and is within a one-day drive of 50% of North America's population and 70% of North America's manufacturing capacity. To the north, Ohio has 312 miles (502 km) of coastline with Lake Erie, which allows for numerous cargo ports such as Cleveland and Toledo. Ohio's southern border
4094-402: The Ohio River from the West Virginia Panhandle to the outskirts of Cincinnati, forms a distinct socioeconomic unit. Geologically similar to parts of West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania, this area's coal mining legacy, dependence on small pockets of old manufacturing establishments, and distinctive regional dialect set this section off from the rest of the state. In 1965, Congress passed
4183-449: The Ohio River were attacked and ransacked in Morgan's Raid , starting in Harrison in the west and culminating in the Battle of Salineville near West Point in the far east. While this raid was overall insignificant to the Confederacy, it aroused fear among people in Ohio and Indiana as it was the furthest advancement of troops from the South in the war. Almost 35,000 Ohioans died in the conflict, and 30,000 were physically wounded. By
4272-434: The Ohio River. Also evidencing this climatic transition from a subtropical to a continental climate, several plants such as the Southern magnolia ( Magnolia grandiflora ) , Albizia julibrissin (mimosa), Crape Myrtle , and even the occasional Needle Palm are hardy landscape materials regularly used as street, yard, and garden plantings in the Bluegrass region of Ohio; but these same plants will simply not thrive in much of
4361-412: The Ohio as Native lands. British military occupation in the region contributed to the outbreak of Pontiac's War in 1763. Ohio tribes participated in the war until an armed expedition in Ohio led by Brigadier General Henry Bouquet brought about a truce. Another colonial military expedition into the Ohio Country in 1774 brought Lord Dunmore's War , kicked off by the Yellow Creek massacre in Ohio, to
4450-424: The Pennsylvania line aforesaid. Ohio is bounded by the Ohio River, but nearly all of the river belongs to Kentucky and West Virginia. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court held that, based on the wording of the cessation of territory by Virginia (which at the time included what is now Kentucky and West Virginia), the boundary between Ohio and Kentucky (and, by implication, West Virginia) is the northern low-water mark of
4539-448: The Shawnee, excluding the Pekowi in Southwest Ohio, were forcibly relocated west. Ohio played a key role in the War of 1812, as it was on the front line in the Western theater and the scene of several notable battles both on land and in Lake Erie . On September 10, 1813, the Battle of Lake Erie , one of the major battles, took place near Put-in-Bay, Ohio . The British eventually surrendered to Oliver Hazard Perry . Ultimately, after
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#17327878988064628-415: The Siouan. Ohio country was also the site of Indian massacres, such as the Yellow Creek massacre and the Gnadenhutten massacre . After the War of 1812 , when Natives suffered serious losses such as at Tippecanoe , most Native tribes either left Ohio or had to live on only limited reservations. By 1842, all remaining Natives were forced out of the state. During the 18th century, the French set up
4717-423: The U.S. government used the Indian Removal Act of 1830 to force countless Native American tribes on the Trail of Tears , where all the southern states except for Florida were successfully emptied of Native peoples, the government panicked because most tribes did not want to be forced out of their own lands. Fearing further wars between Native tribes and American settlers, they pushed all remaining Native tribes in
4806-402: The construction of the Muskingum Academy (now Marietta College ). In 1780, the directors of the Ohio Company appointed him superintendent of all its affairs relating to the settlement north of the Ohio River. In 1796, President George Washington commissioned him as Surveyor-General of United States Lands. In 1788, he served as a judge in the Northwest Territory's first court. In 1802, he served in
4895-492: The convention to form a constitution for the State of Ohio. On February 19, 1803, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson signed an act of Congress that approved Ohio's boundaries and constitution. But Congress had not passed a formal resolution admitting Ohio as the 17th state. Although no formal resolution of admission was required, when the oversight was discovered in 1953, as Ohio began preparations for celebrating its sesquicentennial, Ohio congressman George H. Bender introduced
4984-630: The county was $ 47,697 and the median income for a family was $ 52,308. Males had a median income of $ 41,143 versus $ 30,226 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 22,719. About 8.3% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over. The two school districts are Decatur County Community Schools and Greensburg Community Schools . 39°18′N 85°30′W / 39.30°N 85.50°W / 39.30; -85.50 Ohio Ohio ( / oʊ ˈ h aɪ . oʊ / oh- HY -oh )
5073-405: The county was 97.3% white, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.6% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, In terms of ancestry, 35.5% were of English ancestry, 35.1% were of German , and 9.0% were of Irish ancestry according to 2010 American Community Survey . Of
5162-434: The dinosaur adventure train, the Easter bunny express, and the award winning Polar express. There are also tasting trains for ages 21+. Wine, beer, tequila, and chocolate are a few of these tasting trains. 38°33′18″N 86°37′01″W / 38.5550°N 86.6170°W / 38.5550; -86.6170 Decatur County, Indiana Decatur County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana . As of
5251-413: The earlier devastation brought about by disease, war, and subsequent social instability. They subsisted on agriculture (corn, sunflowers, beans, etc.) supplemented by seasonal hunts. By the 18th century, they were part of a larger global economy brought about by European entry into the fur trade . Some of the Indigenous nations that historically inhabited Ohio include the Iroquoian, the Algonquian, and
5340-433: The end of the Civil War, the Union's top three generals— Ulysses S. Grant , William Tecumseh Sherman , and Philip Sheridan —were all from Ohio. During much of the 19th century, industry was rapidly introduced to complement an existing agricultural economy. One of the first iron manufacturing plants, Hopewell Furnace, opened near Youngstown in 1804. By the mid-19th century, 48 blast furnaces were operating in Ohio, most in
5429-492: The extreme southern counties of Ohio's Bluegrass region section, which are located on the northern periphery of the humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) and Upland South region of the United States. Summers are typically hot and humid throughout the state, while winters generally range from cool to cold. Precipitation in Ohio is moderate year-round. Severe weather is not uncommon in the state, although there are typically fewer tornado reports in Ohio than in states located in what
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#17327878988065518-572: The first successful airplane. Ohio was hit by its greatest natural disaster in the Great Flood of 1913 , resulting in at least 428 fatalities and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage, particularly around the Great Miami River basin. The National Football League was originally founded in Canton, Ohio in 1920 as the American Professional Football Conference. It included Ohio League teams in five Ohio cities (Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton), none of which still exist. The first official game occurred on October 3, 1920, when
5607-425: The form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes. Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government. Court: The county maintains
5696-457: The governor of the territory, and Vincennes was established as the capital. After the Michigan Territory was separated and the Illinois Territory was formed, Indiana was reduced to its current size and geography. By December 1816 the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state. Starting in 1794, Native American titles to Indiana lands were extinguished by usurpation, purchase, or war and treaty. The United States acquired land from
5785-458: The governorship of Bob Taft , which aimed to increase investment in Ohio and boost its technology sector. As of 2010, the Ohio Department of Development attributes the creation of 9,500 jobs to this program, with an average salary of $ 65,000, while having a $ 6.6 billion economic impact with a return on investment of 9:1. In 2010 the state won the International Economic Development Council 's Excellence in Economic Development Award, celebrated as
5874-525: The movement of Natives and Americans between the Ohio Country and Thirteen Colonies had resulted in tension. Fort Pitt in Pennsylvania had become the main fort where expeditions into Ohio started. Intrusions into the area included General Edward Hand 's 1778 movement of 500 Pennsylvania militiamen from Fort Pitt towards Mingo towns on the Cuyahoga River , where the British stored military supplies which they distributed to Indian raiding parties; Colonel Daniel Brodhead 's invasion in 1780 and destruction of
5963-440: The northern Atlantic Ocean via Lake Erie and the St. Lawrence River , and those in southern Ohio drain into the Gulf of Mexico via the Ohio River and the Mississippi . Ohio also includes Bass Islands and Kelleys Island . Grand Lake St. Marys in the west-central part of the state was constructed as a supply of water for canals in the canal-building era of 1820–1850. This body of water, over 20 square miles (52 km ),
6052-412: The original Warner Brothers , who set up their first movie theatre in Youngstown before the company relocated to California. The state produced many popular musicians, including Dean Martin , Doris Day , The O'Jays , Marilyn Manson , Dave Grohl , Devo , Macy Gray and The Isley Brothers . Two Ohio astronauts completed significant milestones in the space race in the 1960s: John Glenn becoming
6141-1086: The rails to this day! Excursions are typically powered by a diesel locomotive. The train could consist of an ALCO RS-1 or EMD GP16 pulling 3 ex Chicago and North Western Railroad bi-level commuter cars, a concession car, 4 ex Rock Island passenger cars, an ex Northern Pacific Budd dome car, and an ex Illinois Central caboose. IRM #4 - ALCO RS-1 - Ex Algers, Winslow and Western Railway #4, Built as Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic #103 IRM #6 - GE 80 Ton - Ex US Navy #65-00356 IRM #78 - ALCO S-2 - Ex Michigan Southern #78 IRM #97 - Baldwin 2-6-0 - Built as Mobile and Gulf #97 IRM 101 - ALCO S-4 - Ex Algers, Winslow and Western Railway #1 IRM 208 - Baldwin 2-6-0 , built as Angelina and Neches River Railroad #208 IRM 1813 - EMD GP16 - Ex INRD 1813, built as Seaboard Air Line #1810 SFRTA 704 - Colorado Railcar DMU - Ex Tri Rail 704, acquired and delivered in 2024 along with unpowered cars 7001-7002. SFRTA 706 - Colorado Railcar DMU - Ex Tri Rail 706, acquired and delivered in 2024. The museum operates
6230-415: The rest of the state. This interesting change may be observed while traveling through Ohio on Interstate 75 from Cincinnati to Toledo ; the observant traveler of this diverse state may even catch a glimpse of Cincinnati's common wall lizard , one of the few examples of permanent "subtropical" fauna in Ohio. The worst weather disaster in Ohio history occurred along the Great Miami River in 1913. Known as
6319-416: The river as it existed in 1792. Ohio has only that portion of the river between the river's 1792 low-water mark and the present high-water mark. The border with Michigan has also changed, as a result of the Toledo War , to angle slightly northeast to the north shore of the mouth of the Maumee River. Much of Ohio features glaciated till plains , with an exceptionally flat area in the northwest being known as
6408-617: The same time. The old Northwest Territory originally included areas previously known as Ohio Country and Illinois Country . As Ohio prepared for statehood, the Indiana Territory was created, reducing the Northwest Territory to approximately the size of present-day Ohio plus the eastern half of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and the eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula and a sliver of southeastern Indiana called "The Gore". The coalition of Native American tribes, known as
6497-529: The sedentary Adena culture emerged. The Adena established "semi-permanent" villages because they domesticated plants, including sunflowers, and "grew squash and possibly corn"; with hunting and gathering, this cultivation supported more settled, complex villages. The most notable remnant of the Adena culture is the Great Serpent Mound , located in Adams County, Ohio . Around 100 BC,
6586-514: The seventh-largest delegation. Seven presidents of the United States have come from Ohio , earning it the moniker "the Mother of Presidents". Archeological evidence of spear points of both the Folsom and Clovis types indicate that the Ohio Valley was inhabited by nomadic people as early as 13,000 BC. These early nomads disappeared from Ohio by 1,000 BC. Between 1,000 and 800 BC,
6675-532: The south. The museum eventually removed all artifacts and became a gift shop and ticket pick up area for the French Lick Scenic Railway which still operates today. There is no longer a museum at the French Lick Scenic Railway, but its collection included more than 65 pieces of rolling stock and locomotives. The museum had three steam locomotives on display that are not operational and three operational diesel locomotives. You can still ride
6764-583: The southern part of the state. Discovery of coal deposits aided the further development of Ohio's steel industry, and by 1853 Cleveland was the nation's third-largest iron and steel producer. The first Bessemer converter was purchased by the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company , which became part of the U.S. Steel Corporation after the merger of Federal Steel Company and Carnegie Steel , the first billion-dollar American corporation. The first open-hearth furnace used for steel production
6853-424: The state throughout the 20th century and often moved to other cities that were larger centers for their work. They included Zane Grey , Milton Caniff , George Bellows , Art Tatum , Roy Lichtenstein , and Roy Rogers . Alan Freed , who emerged from the swing dance culture in Cleveland, hosted the first live rock 'n roll concert in Cleveland in 1952. Famous filmmakers include Steven Spielberg , Chris Columbus and
6942-680: The state unemployment rate reaching a high of 37.3%. American Jews watched the rise of Nazi Germany with apprehension. Cleveland residents Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the Superman comic character in the spirit of the Jewish golem . Many of their comics portrayed Superman fighting and defeating the Nazis . Approximately 839,000 Ohioans served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II , of whom over 23,000 died or were missing in action. Artists, writers, musicians and actors developed in
7031-676: The state, sometimes assimilating in part. Starting around 1809, the Shawnee pressed resistance to encroachment again. Under Chief Tecumseh , Tecumseh's War officially began in Ohio in 1811. When the War of 1812 began, the British decided to attack from Upper Canada into Ohio and merge their forces with the Shawnee. This continued until Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames in 1813. Most of
7120-615: The success of many Republican candidates in Ohio since the late 2000s has led many to question whether Ohio remains an electoral battleground. On March 9, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached Ohio, with three cases reported. As of February 2023, over 41,600 Ohioans have died from COVID-19. Ohio's economy was also heavily impacted by the pandemic, as the state saw large job losses in 2020, as well as large amounts of subsequent stimulus spending . Ohio's location has proven to be an asset for economic growth and expansion. Because it links
7209-473: The third-largest manufacturing sector and second-largest automobile production. Modeled on its federal counterpart, Ohio's government is composed of the executive branch, led by the governor ; the legislative branch, consisting of the bicameral Ohio General Assembly ; and the judicial branch, led by the state Supreme Court . Ohio occupies 15 seats in the United States House of Representatives ,
7298-441: The upper part of the county, continuing into Shelby County . Clifty Creek flows southwestward through the central part of the county, continuing into Bartholomew , and Sand Creek flows south-southwestward through the lower center of the county, continuing into Jennings County . According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 373.32 square miles (966.9 km ), of which 372.57 square miles (965.0 km ) (or 99.80%)
7387-482: The war. It contributed more soldiers per capita than any other state in the Union. In 1862, the state's morale was badly shaken in the aftermath of the Battle of Shiloh , a costly victory in which Ohio forces suffered 2,000 casualties. Later that year, when Confederate troops under the leadership of Stonewall Jackson threatened Washington, D.C., Ohio governor David Tod recruited 5,000 volunteers to provide three months of service. From July 13 to 26, 1863, towns along
7476-707: Was constructed by the Otis Steel Company in Cleveland, and by 1892, Ohio was the second-largest steel-producing state, behind Pennsylvania. Republic Steel was founded in Youngstown in 1899 and was at one point the nation's third-largest producer. Armco , now AK Steel, was founded in Middletown in 1899. The state legislature officially adopted the flag of Ohio on May 9, 1902. Dayton natives Orville and Wilbur Wright made four brief flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina , on December 17, 1903, inventing
7565-527: Was formed in 1822. The county was named for Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr. , naval officer in the First and Second Barbary Wars , and in the War of 1812 . Decatur was killed in a duel in 1820. The low rolling hills are devoted to agriculture or urban development, with only the areas carved by drainages still wooded. The highest point (1,097 feet/334 meters ASL) is a hillock 0.8 miles (1.3 km) SSE from Kingston . The Flatrock River flows westward through
7654-461: Was given the western two-thirds of the Upper Peninsula , in addition to the eastern third, which was already considered part of the territory. Ohio's central position and its population gave it an important place in the Civil War . The Ohio River was a vital artery for troop and supply movements, as were Ohio's railroads. Ohio's industry made it one of the most important states in the Union during
7743-560: Was home to several ancient indigenous civilizations, with humans present as early as 10,000 BCE. It arose from the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains that were contested by various native tribes and European colonists from the 17th century through the Northwest Indian Wars of the late 18th century. Ohio was partitioned from the Northwest Territory , the first frontier of the new United States, becoming
7832-403: Was the capital from 1803 to 1810. The capital was then moved to Zanesville for two years as part of a state legislative compromise to get a bill passed. The capital was then moved back to Chillicothe from 1812 to 1816. Finally, the capital was moved to Columbus, to be near the state's geographic center. Although many Native Americans migrated west to evade American encroachment, others remained in
7921-750: Was the largest artificial lake in the world when completed in 1845. Ohio's canal-building projects were not the economic fiasco that similar efforts were in other states. Some cities, such as Dayton, owe their industrial emergence to their location on canals, and as late as 1910 interior canals carried much of the bulk freight of the state. Areas under the protection of the National Park Service include Cuyahoga Valley National Park , Hopewell Culture National Historical Park , Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park , First Ladies National Historic Site , James A. Garfield National Historic Site , William Howard Taft National Historic Site , and
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