1. Ohio became the 17th state in the United States on March 1, 1803. However, its official birthday is December 23, as this was the day President Thomas Jefferson signed the Enabling Act, which authorized the people of the Ohio Territory to elect representatives to a constitutional convention and ultimately apply for statehood.

2. The third deadliest school shooting in U.S. history occurred on December 23, 1975, in the small town of Fahey, Ohio. James Ruppert, a 27-year-old drifter, entered the unlocked Rose-Mar College of Beauty armed with three handguns and a hunting knife, and proceeded to shoot and kill 11 people and injure another. The massacre shocked the nation and led to increased scrutiny of gun control laws.

3. On December 23, 1907, Dayton, Ohio, became the birthplace of aviation history when the Wright brothers successfully flew their new plane, the Wright Flyer III, for 34 minutes and 59 seconds. This was the longest powered flight in history at the time, and cemented the Wrights' place in history as pioneers of aviation.

4. December 23, 1986 marked a tragic day for Ohioans, as the deadliest traffic accident in the state's history occurred on Interstate 71 near Carrollton. A church youth group returning from a trip to an amusement park collided head-on with a drunk driver going the wrong way on the highway, resulting in 27 fatalities and 34 injuries. This event led to increased awareness and enforcement of drunk driving laws in Ohio.

5. The Ohio State Buckeyes football team has played in a number of notable games on December 23, including two appearances in the Rose Bowl. In 1974, they defeated USC 42-21 to win the national championship, and in 1985 they lost to USC 20-17. The Buckeyes have also played in several bowl games on this date, including the Liberty Bowl in 2004 and the Gator Bowl in 2013.