1. On February 3, 1809, the Ohio State Legislature officially approved Columbus as the new state capital, replacing Chillicothe. The decision was made due to Columbus's central location in the state and its potential for growth and development.

2. In 1870, the first black person was elected to a municipal government in Ohio. William Howard Day was elected to the office of clerk in the city of Steubenville, marking an important milestone in the state's history of civil rights and political representation.

3. On February 3, 1913, the Miami Conservancy District was created in response to a series of devastating floods that had occurred in southwestern Ohio over the previous decades. The district was tasked with building a series of dams and levees to prevent future flooding and to manage the region's water resources.

4. February 3, 1948 saw the birth of Nathan Lane, an actor and comedian who grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, but spent much of his early career performing in theater productions in Columbus, Ohio. Lane went on to achieve global fame for his roles in films like The Birdcage, The Lion King, and The Producers.

5. In 1959, on February 3, the Ohio State University men's basketball team defeated the University of Iowa 93-68, setting a new NCAA record for the highest score in a conference game. The team went on to win the Big Ten championship that year, cementing their place in Ohio sports history.