1. In 1861, Ohio Governor William Dennison signed a bill authorizing the creation of the Ohio State University. The university, which was originally named the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, opened to students in 1873.

2. On February 18, 1865, Union General William T. Sherman met with Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston at Bennett Place in Durham, North Carolina, to negotiate the terms of surrender for Johnston's Army of Tennessee. The resulting agreement was controversial and was eventually rejected by President Andrew Johnson.

3. In 1930, Ohio State University basketball player John Havlicek was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio. Havlicek went on to become one of the greatest players in NBA history, winning eight championships with the Boston Celtics and earning induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

4. On February 18, 1972, Ohio Governor John Gilligan signed into law the Ohio Environmental Protection Act, which established the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and gave it the authority to regulate air and water pollution, hazardous waste, and other environmental threats.

5. In 2010, Ohio University announced that it would be closing its on-campus coal-fired power plant and transitioning to a combination of natural gas and biomass energy sources. The move was part of the university's efforts to reduce its carbon emissions and promote sustainability.