From politics to coasters, Ohio's rich in curious data

Cedar Point's Millennium Force is one reason Ohio ranks first in roller coasters in the U.S.

First African-American major city mayor in U.S.: Carl Stokes, Cleveland, 1967.

First American to orbit Earth: John Glenn of New Concord, 1962.

Country's first civilian astronaut: Neil Armstrong of Wapakoneta, 1966.

Ohio's first African-American congressman: Louis Stokes of Cleveland, 1968.

First woman in U.S. elected state supreme court judge: Mary B. Grossman of Cleveland, 1923.

First woman elected to state office: Democrat Gertrude Donahey of Tuscarawas, state treasurer, 1970.

First governor to die in office: John Brough, 1865.

Only father to succeed his son as governor: Mordecai Bartley, 1844. He succeeded Thomas Bartley, Ohio Senate speaker, who became acting governor when Wilson Shannon resigned.

Youngest governor: Thomas Bartley, 32, who served from April 15 to Dec. 3.

Most years as governor: James Rhodes of Coalton, 12. 1962-70; 1974-78.

First African-American woman in U.S. to earn college degree: Lucy Sessions, Oberlin College, 1850.

First private college in U.S. for African-Americans: Wilberforce University, 1856.

First junior high in U.S.: Indianola, Columbus, 1909.

First public Montessori school in U.S.: Sands, Cincinnati, 1978.

Oldest college newspaper in U.S.: The Miami Student, Miami University, Oxford, 1826.

First cooperative education program in U.S.: Antioch College, 1921.

Only center for Photochemical Science in U.S.: Bowling Green State University.

World's largest egg farm: Agrigeneral Co. LP., Croton, where 4.8 million hens lay 3.7 million eggs daily.

World's largest hand-woven basket: 48 by 23 by 19 feet; Longaberger Co.; Dresden, 1990.

World's largest grocery chain: Kroger Co. of Cincinnati; 2,126 U.S. stores.

World's largest baby: Born to giants Anna Bates (7 feet, 11 inches) and Martin van Buren Bates (7 feet, 9 inches), a son weighing 23 pounds, 12 ounces on Jan. 19, 1879 in Seville, Ohio. The infant died 11 hours later.

World's longest hospital stay: Martha Nelson was admitted at age 3 to the Columbus State Institute for the Feeble-Minded in 1875 and died at 103 in 1975 in the Orient State Institution.

Nation's largest ketchup producer: Heinz of Fremont, more than 20 million cases a year.

Nation's oldest greeting card company: Gibson Greeting, Inc., of Cincinnati, founded in 1850.

Oldest structure in the U.S.: Remains of an 11,000-year-old Native American hunting camp, near Akron, discovered in 1992.

Nation's largest private airport: Airborne Express, Wilmington.

Among the states, Ohio is: first in roller coasters; second in bowling alleys; third in energy consumption; fourth in golfers; fifth in interstate highway mileage; sixth in movie theaters; seventh in number of executions; eighth in patents issued; ninth in industrial research and development; 10th in infant mortality rate; 11th in AIDS deaths; 12th in percentage of adults who smoke; 13th in farm products production.

Source: The Ohio Almanac