March 2 may seem like a regular day on the calendar, but it holds some significance in Ohio's history. Here are 5 interesting facts about March 2 in Ohio history:

1. Ohio became a state on March 1, 1803, but it wasn't until March 2 that the first sitting of the Ohio State Legislature was held in Chillicothe. In this session, the state's first governor, Edward Tiffin, was inaugurated.

2. On March 2, 1824, the Ohio & Erie Canal Company was founded in Akron, Ohio. This canal played a significant role in Ohio's economic development by connecting Lake Erie to the Ohio River and providing a transportation route for goods like coal and wheat.

3. March 2, 1917, marks the birth of Desirée Rogers in New Orleans, Louisiana. Rogers later became the first African American woman to serve as Ohio State University's student government president in 1979-1980.

4. In 1943, the Broadway musical "Oklahoma!" opened in New York City with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. What makes this relevant to Ohio history? Hammerstein's grandfather, Oscar Hammerstein I, was born in 1847 in St. Marys, Ohio.

5. On March 2, 2000, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium unveiled their new African Forest exhibit, which featured a 43,000-square-foot outdoor habitat for gorillas, chimpanzees, and other primates. This exhibit has since undergone multiple expansions and is still a popular attraction at the zoo.