The first humans to live in Ohio were the Palaeo-Indians.
The Earliest Inhabitants of Ohio
Approximately 12,000 years ago, the Palaeo-Indians became the inaugural human beings to arrive in the geographical area now recognized as Ohio. These ancient inhabitants were characterized as nomadic peoples, meaning they did not establish permanent settlements but instead moved continuously across the landscape.
Their migratory lifestyle was intrinsically linked to the movements of the large game animals they pursued for survival. As the immense glaciers of the last ice age gradually receded northward, significant animals such as the mastodon and elk began to migrate into the newly exposed and habitable lands of Ohio. The Palaeo-Indians followed these crucial food sources, adapting their existence to the post-glacial wilderness through hunting and gathering. This period represents the earliest documented human presence in Ohio, laying the groundwork for the diverse Native American cultures that would thrive in the region in subsequent eras.
