The Buckeye State: was first suggested around 1788. The state was full of what we call buckeye trees. Settlers really didn't know what to call the trees, but they came into contact with a lot of them as they cleared the land and built their cabins from its wood.
Actually, the buckeye tree is related to a type of chestnut tree. It bears a nut that is dark shiny brown with a tan circle on one end. Native Americans call the tree "hetuck" which means "eye of a male deer." Settlers agreed with the Native Americans and they called the nut "buck eyes" and the trees became known and buckeye trees. More about how Ohio became known as the Buckeye State
Stars, personalities and people of note for one reason or other, born in Ohio
Besides being the Mother of Presidents, Ohio has also been the Mother of lot of other folks whose names have been put in the history books and the lights of the silver screen.
Show All
Dean Martin--born in Steubenville in 1917, was a high-school drop out, a whiskey runner, a boxer, and a steel mill worker. He went on to become one of the most famous singers, movie actor and TV personality of the 50s and 60s.
Clark Gable-- born in 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio.
Paul Newman-- born in 1925 near Cleveland.
Roy Rogers-- famous TV cowboy, was born in 1911 in Cincinnati.
Bob Hope-- although Bob Hope wasn't actually born in Ohio (he was born in England) he and his family moved to Cleveland when he was 5 years old.
Sarah Jessica Parker-- was born in Nelsonville in 1965.
Anne Heche-- born in Aurora in 1965.
Martin Sheen-- born 1940 in Dayton.
Steven Spielberg-- was born in Cincinnati in 1947.
Halle Berry-- was born in Cleveland in 1966.
Katie Holmes-- born in Toledo in 1978
Drew Carey-- was also born in Cleveland, but in 1958.
Jamie Farr-- known for his character Klinger in the TV show MASH, was born in Toledo.
Henry Mancini-- born in Cleveland in 1924.
Erma Bombeck-- the great American humorist was born in Dayton in 1927 and is buried under a big rock in Dayton that was brought back to Ohio from her home in Arizona.
Toni Morrison-- this Pulitzer Prize winning author was born in Lorain Ohio in 1931.
Gloria Steinem-- founding editor of MS Magazine and co-founder of the modern feminist movement was born in Toledo in 1934.
Jack Paar-- host of the Tonight Show before Johnny Carson was born in Canton in 1918.
Phil Donahue-- was born in Cleveland in 1935 and was the first to introduce talk-tv with his show The Phil Donahue Show in Dayton Ohio, which became the longest continuous run syndicated talk show in U.S. television history.
Paul Lynde-- a long time TV and movie comedian was born in Mount Vernon in 1927
Margaret Hamilton-- a name that most people won't recognize until you mention a character she played in the movies: The wicked witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz movie with Judy Garland. She was born in Cleveland in 1902.
Gordon Jump-- is another actor whose name you probably don't recognize, but will recognize the character he played from hit TV show WKRP in Cincinnati which aired in the mid 70s. He played the role of the station manager, Arthur Carlson. Later in his life, he also played the lonely Maytag Repairman role in many television commercials. Gordon was born in Dayton in 1932.
Allison Janney-- played the press secretary C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing was also born in Dayton in 1960.
Doris Day-- was born in Cincinnati in 1924. Known as the ""All-American Girl." Her movie career began in 1948 which established her as both an accomplished singer and movie star.
Ted Turner-- founder of CNN, TCM, and TNT was also born in Cincinnati in 1938.
Gates McFadden-- she played the chief medical officer Beverly Crusher in the TV series: Star Trek: The Next Generation. Born in Cuyahoga Falls in 1949.
Nancy Wilson has recorded over 60 albums, half of which have appeared on the Billboard charts, was born in Chillicothe Ohio in 1937, but grew up in Columbus where she graduated from West High School.
Rosemary Clooney is another singer, movie actress, and TV host. She was born in Kentucky, but moved with her family to Cincinnati when she was 13. She is George Clooney's aunt.
Phyllis Diller, female comedienne, stage performer and actress, was born in Lima Ohio in 1917.
Lillian Gish, a movie actress, stage performer and the first female director in 1920 was born in Springfield in 1893.
Annie Oakley born in Woodland Ohio (now known as Willowdell) in 1860 became known as a highly skilled sharpshooter. "Little Sure Shot" was the name that Sioux Chief Sitting Bull gave her when he saw her shooting skills.
Ruby Dee was born in Cleveland in 1924. She has appeared in numerous stage and screen productions.
Teri Garr, television and movie actress was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947.
Luke Perry, actor, directory and producer was born in Mansfield Ohio in 1965.
Jim Backus was born in 1913 in Cleveland. Although he played in numerous movies and television productions, he will probably be best remembered for his role on Gilligan's Island as Thurston Howell III.
Joel Grey, singer and actor, was born in Cleveland in 1932.
Tim Conway was born in 1933 in Willoughby. He is both a well known actor and writer.
Molly Shannon who gained fame on Saturday Night Live in 1975 was born in 1964 in Shaker Heights.
Did you
know...
That the Grandfather of President George H. Bush, and the Great Grandfather of George W. Bush is buried in Columbus' Green Lawn Cemetery? His name is Samuel Prescott Bush. He lived in Columbus for a few years, then moved away, and then returned in 1901 to become General Manager of Buckeye Steel Castings which manufactured railway parts. That company was run by Frank Rockefeller, the brother of John D. Rockefeller.
He later served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland as well as on the board of the Huntington National Bank of Columbus. His son, Prescott Bush, left Columbus to attend Yale and eventually became a Connecticut Senator.
Samuel Bush lived in Marble Cliff in what is known today as the Bush Mansion which is now upscale condominiums.


The only state without a state flag
Murphy's Law
Thomas Edison born in Milan Ohio, developed not only the first light bulb, but also the phonograph, motion picture camera. 
One of the most visited monuments in Washington DC has its roots in Ohio:
Geraldine Mock
Today her plane is located in in the National Air and Space Museum.
Ohio's First Female Governor
