Ohio's first constitution was approved by Congress, and then signed by President Thomas Jefferson on Feb. 19, 1803. By then, the January elections had been held, with the mild-mannered doctor and legislator Edward Tiffin - Thomas Worthington's brother-in-law - elected governor. Official "state" business was conducted for the first time on March 1, 1803, when Tiffin and members of the first Ohio General Assembly convened in Chillicothe.

In commemoration of Ohio's founding, the Ohio Historical Society and its partners bring together a broad coalition of history advocates for its annual Statehood Day event. The state's birthday serves as an appropriate time each year for history advocates to come together (on or near March 1) to help showcase the importance of Ohio's history and how history, historic preservation and the organizations that help provide access to Ohio's rich history benefit the Buckeye State. Statehood Day is a celebration of Ohio and its history, as well as a legislative advocacy event.

Participants:

Todd Kleismit, OHS Director of Community & Government Relations

"Beautiful Ohio" performed by Talisha Holmes

Andy Verhoff, OHS Local History Coordinator

Burt Logan, OHS Executive Director/CEO

Glenda Greenwood, OHS Board of Trustees President

Jackie Barton, OHS Director of Education & Outreach

Rep. Bill Patmon

Rep. Cliff Rosenberger

Ohio House Speaker Bill Batchelder

Ohio History Fund grant awards:

-Clark County Historical Society: Collections Management Improvement Project

-Cleveland Museum of National History: A Rapid, Inexpensive Method for Investigating Community Structure in E. Lake Erie Basin

-Cleveland Restoration Society: Know our Heritage Educational Program

-Dennison Railroad Depot Museum: Artifact Emergency: Moving the Dennison Depot and Uhrichsville Clay Museum Collection

-Eden Valley Enterprises: Grandma Gatewood: An Appalachian Tale

-Friends of White Water Shaker Village, Inc.: ADA Restroom Facility Project

-Granville Historical Society: Re-Enactment of 1836 Anti-Slavery Convention

-John and Annie Glenn Museum Foundation: National Road/Zane Grey Museum - Display Cases for Local Pottery

-MidPointe Library System: Digitization of Butler County Atlases

-Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County: Stone Academy Roof Restoration Project

-Union County Historical Society: 1938 Union County Films Preservation Project