Ohio Bicentennial facts for kids
The Ohio Bicentennial was a huge celebration for the state of Ohio. It marked Ohio's 200th birthday as a U.S. state on March 1, 2003. To get ready for this big event, the Ohio Bicentennial Commission was created in 1995. This group helped organize many special activities. They sponsored unique barn paintings, created special bells, and put up historical markers all over Ohio. Other government groups also joined in to celebrate this important anniversary.
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Celebrating Ohio's 200th Birthday
Ohio's 200th anniversary was a big deal! Many special projects helped people remember this important milestone.
Painting Barns Across Ohio
From 1997 to 2002, a talented artist named Scott Hagan painted barns in every single county in Ohio. He painted 101 barns by hand! Each barn showed the Bicentennial Commission's special logo and colors. Over 2,000 barn owners offered their barns to be painted. It was a clever way to advertise the upcoming celebration. Painting each barn cost about $1,500, which was cheaper than renting a billboard. These painted barns were a fun way to get everyone excited for Ohio's 200th birthday in 2003.
Bells for Every County
The Bicentennial Commission also worked with The Verdin Company from Cincinnati. This company made a special bronze bell in each county during the bicentennial year. Each bell weighed about 250 pounds! It took two days to make each bell right there in the open, using a special mobile foundry.
Traveling by Wagon Train
In the summer of 2003, a historic wagon train traveled across Ohio. It followed the old National Road, starting in Martins Ferry and ending at the Indiana border in New Paris. This journey helped people remember how pioneers traveled long ago.
Ohio's Special Bicentennial License Plate
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles created a brand new design for Ohio's license plates. These plates had the Bicentennial Commission's logo on the left. They also said "1803 Ohio Bicentennial 2003" across the top. This was a unique way to celebrate the state's 200th birthday on every car!
Other Ways Ohio Celebrated
- In 2002, the United States Mint made special quarters to honor Ohio's bicentennial. These quarters were part of the 50 State Quarters program. Millions of these coins were made!
- In 2003, the Ohio History Connection restored the Adena Mansion. This historic home once belonged to Thomas Worthington, an important figure in Ohio's history.
- In 2000, the Commission sponsored a fun sculpture called Hammy Birthday Ohio. It was part of Cincinnati's Big Pig Gig event. This pig-shaped sculpture showed a bicentennial barn on one side and a cornfield on the other. After the event, it moved to the Earth's Harvest Agricultural Garden at the Ohio Governor's Mansion.
- The Blaine Hill "S" Bridge in Blaine is the oldest standing bridge in Ohio. It was given the special name "Ohio Bicentennial Bridge" to mark the celebration.
