While most learn that Ohio became the 17th state in 1803, some may argue that it is actually the 48th state, only ahead of Alaska and Hawaii, both becoming states in 1959.
Due to an oversight, Congress never formally passed a resolution admitting Ohio. This detail somehow went unnoticed for over 150 years. It wasn’t until 1953 that the omission was discovered.
To rectify this, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill retroactively making Ohio’s statehood official as of March 1, 1803. This means for a century and a half, Ohio operated as a de facto state without the proper federal recognition.
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