How Ohio Shaped the World with Innovations and Firsts

Welcome to Ohio, a state that turns imagination into working reality. With a prime location, deep infrastructure, and a “try it, fix it, make it better” mindset, Ohio has produced wave after wave of problem-solvers whose ideas reshape how we move, manufacture, protect, power, feed, and heal — then and now.

This “drive your own adventure” experience connects you to the stories and places where you can explore some of the state’s innovation stories. After all, in the words of Garrett A. Morgan, the Cleveland inventor of the three-signal traffic light, precursor to the red, yellow, and green lights used today, “If you can be the best, then why not try to be the best?“ 

Find out more about the 81 featured stops and stories on the Innovation Trail at america250-ohio.org/ohio-innovation-trail.

Two Innovation Trail Stops to See

Tour the Airstream Factory in Jackson Center to learn how these iconic silver travel trailers are made. Watch how these trailers are made on a special behind-the-scenes factory tour with parts in development right in front of you. Swing into the Heritage Center to see historical artifacts telling the Airstream innovation story.

MAPS Air Museum in North Canton, a former Ohio Air Guard hangar, showcases aviation history in northeast Ohio. Local farmer William H. Martin created one of the first mono-winged glider aircrafts. See the glider and more than 60 other aircraft on display, along with aviation artifacts.

Invention With Intention

Ohio’s best ideas start with real needs. When Dayton’s Ermal Fraze couldn’t open a beer, he created the pull-tab that reshaped packaging and convenience. Toledo teen Becky Schroeder invented the Glo-Sheet to study in the dark, inspiring low-light safety tools. New Carlisle’s Roy Plunkett discovered Teflon, unlocking nonstick, chemical-resistant coatings for cookware and medical devices.

The Power of We

Innovation in Ohio is a team sport. Charles Brush’s arc lights brightened Cleveland through city-utility-lab collaboration; James Ritty’s cash register became a global standard when John H. Patterson’s NCR paired engineering with training and service; Dr. Albert Sabin’s oral polio vaccine moved from Cincinnati labs to classrooms and worldwide partners; Hoover turned Spangler’s portable vacuum into a reliable household tool via design — factory coordination; and Granville T. Woods’ railway telegraph improved rail safety with railroads and manufacturers. Industry, academia, and government continue to find solutions for tough problems by working together.

Hands-on Ingenuity

Ohio’s make-test-improve habit keeps life safer and smoother. In Akron, innovators transformed rubber into dependable tires and materials that make cars safer and medical devices more reliable. In Toledo, Michael Owens automated glassmaking so safe containers became affordable and routine. Cleveland’s Garrett Morgan brought order
to busy streets with a better traffic signal, and in Dayton, Charles Kettering replaced the hand crank with the electric starter. Together, Ohio’s workshops and labs influence what you buy, keep you safer and healthier, and continue to reshape everyday life.

Grit to Glory

Ohio’s breakthroughs come from grit. Cincinnati-born Frederick McKinley Jones kept refining mobile refrigeration until food and medicine could travel safely year-round. In Toledo, physician-turned-tinkerer Allen DeVilbiss perfected the medical atomizer that evolved into the modern spray gun. Cleveland’s Sherwin-Williams pushed through failures to deliver ready-mix paint in resealable cans, changing home and industry. And Columbus-based Battelle stuck with xerography when others balked, helping turn a quirky lab process into Xerox’s workhorse. Persistence is Ohio’s signature.

This America 250-Ohio content was created in partnership with the America 250-Ohio Commission. For more information on America 250-Ohio, visit america250-ohio.org.