1. The Ohio General Assembly established Ohio University on March 28, 1804, making it the first institution of higher learning in the state. Today, Ohio University is home to over 20,000 students across multiple campuses.

2. In 1839, the world's first railroad tunnel was completed in Ohio using the "cut and cover" method. The tunnel, located in Summit County, helped to improve transportation and commerce in the state.

3. On March 28, 1854, the Republican Party was founded in Ripon, Wisconsin. Ohio played a significant role in the party's early development and later became a key battleground state in many presidential elections.

4. The Ohio State Reformatory, located in Mansfield, Ohio, opened its doors on March 28, 1896. The prison, which is now a museum, was featured in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption."

5. Helen "Bessie" Elizabeth Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license, was born in Atlanta, Texas on March 28, 1892. Although Coleman never lived in Ohio, she is remembered in Cleveland, where a street and park are named after her.