If you’ve ever spent five minutes in Columbus or caught a Saturday afternoon football game on TV, you already know the answer. Ohio’s nickname is The Buckeye State. It’s everywhere. It’s on the license plates, it’s the name of the most famous college football team in the universe, and it’s even the name of a delicious peanut butter and chocolate candy that basically keeps the local economy running during the holidays.
But honestly, why a nut?
It’s a bit of a weird choice when you think about it. Most states go for something majestic like the "Empire State" or "The Constitution State." Ohio went with a small, poisonous nut from a tree that early settlers thought was pretty much useless.
The Actual History of the Buckeye Nickname
The story isn't just about trees. It’s about a 6-foot-4 guy named Colonel Ebenezer Sproat. Back in 1788, before Ohio was even officially a state, Sproat led a procession of judges during the opening of the first court in the Northwest Territory (which we now call Marietta).
He was a big guy. Imposing. He carried a sword.
The story goes that the local indigenous people were so impressed by his stature that they started shouting "Hetuck!" which translates to "eye of the buck." They weren't calling him a nut; they were comparing his commanding presence to the powerful gaze of a deer. Sproat liked it. He kept the nickname for the rest of his life.
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But that’s just one piece of the puzzle.
The name didn’t really "stick" to the entire population until the 1840 presidential election. William Henry Harrison, an Ohioan, was running for president. His opponents tried to mock him by saying he was better suited to sit in a log cabin and drink hard cider than live in the White House.
Talk about a backfire.
Harrison’s supporters leaned into the "frontier man" image. They built cabins out of buckeye logs. They carried buckeye wood canes. They wore strings of buckeyes around their necks like jewelry. By the time Harrison won, the association was permanent. Ohio was the Buckeye State, and its people were Buckeyes.
Wait, What Exactly is a Buckeye?
Let's get technical for a second. The Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is a tree native to the Ohio River Valley.
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It produces a shiny, dark brown nut with a light tan patch. If you hold it up next to a deer’s eye, the resemblance is actually kind of uncanny.
- Is it edible? Absolutely not. Don't eat the actual nut. It’s toxic.
- Is it useful? Early pioneers used the wood to make cradles and artificial limbs because it’s light and doesn’t split easily.
- Is it lucky? Folklore says carrying one in your pocket wards off rheumatism and brings good luck.
Today, most people associate the name with The Ohio State University. The school officially adopted the buckeye as its mascot in 1950, and Brutus Buckeye—the guy with the giant nut head—made his debut in 1965.
Other Nicknames You Might Hear
While "The Buckeye State" is the official heavyweight champion, Ohio has picked up a few other monikers over the years.
The Birthplace of Aviation
This one is a point of massive pride (and a long-running feud with North Carolina). The Wright Brothers were from Dayton. They did their research and building in Ohio, even if they took the first flight at Kitty Hawk. You’ll see this on the standard-issue license plates.
The Mother of Presidents
Ohio has sent seven (or eight, depending on how you count) men to the White House. This includes William Henry Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding. Virginia gives Ohio a run for its money on this title, but Ohioans aren't backing down.
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The Heart of It All
This was a massive tourism slogan for years. It’s a reference to the fact that Ohio is roughly shaped like a heart and is within a day's drive of 60% of the U.S. and Canadian population.
Why It Still Matters Today
Being a Buckeye is a weirdly strong identity. It’s not just a state you live in; it’s a club you belong to.
If you’re traveling anywhere in the world and you wear an Ohio State shirt, someone will yell "O-H!" at you. You are legally required to respond with "I-O!"
It’s the law. (Okay, not really, but it feels like it).
The nickname represents a specific kind of Midwestern resilience. The buckeye tree itself is famously hard to kill. You can girdle it, you can cut it back, and it still tries to sprout branches. That "stubbornness" is something Ohioans generally take a lot of pride in.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you want to experience the "Buckeye" life for real, here is what you do:
- Find the real thing: Visit Buckeye Grove outside Ohio Stadium. There is a tree planted for every Ohio State All-American player.
- Eat the candy: Buy (or make) the peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate. They are called Buckeyes. They are the superior version of a Reese's cup.
- Check the trees: If you're hiking in Ohio in the spring, look for the five-fingered leaves. If you find a nut on the ground in the fall, put it in your pocket. It can't hurt your luck.
- Visit Marietta: Go to the spot where Colonel Sproat earned the name in 1788 to see where the legend actually started.
Ohio might be the only state named after a poisonous nut, but for the people who live there, there isn't a better title in the world.