How Ohio became a welcoming home for many Hungarian migrants

Sponsored content

Ohio has become home away from home for Hungarians with swathes of the population taking up residence in the Buckeye State over the last two centuries. In fact, following the end of WW2, Ohio officially became the state with the largest percentage of Hungarians living in it out of the whole of America.

Chiefly, this was down to Hungarians opting for a new start following the unsettled times that the war brought with it, which led to many deciding to begin life in the northeastern edge of the Midwest region of the United States.

So, why did so many Hungarians decide on Ohio out of all the options they had when leaving central Europe all those years ago?

Innovation

Hungary has always been a country with a large appetite for innovation and the state of Ohio is no different, which surely must have made Hungarians feel at home upon arrival in the Buckeye State.

In particular, Ohio is the birthplace of aviation after the Wright brothers successfully flew the first plane in 1903 into the skies of Dayton. The pair also designed the plane, which was known as the Wright Flyer, in the same city.

On this day in 1903, the Wright brothers made the first powered flight in history, staying airborne for 120 feet. Orville and Wilbur flew the Wright Flyer three more times that day, before its final flight that measured 852 feet in 59 seconds. #AviationHistory pic.twitter.com/tZt5dVfs55

— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) December 17, 2021

This type of astonishing breakthrough in human ingenuity undoubtedly put Ohio on the map. This, among many other reasons, could have been a factor in the decision for Hungarians to begin their life in a place where dreams quite literally take flight.

Sports

Ask any Hungarian you find on the street if they have a passion for sports and they will respond emphatically in the affirmative. Yes, this is a country that lives and breathes sport, but it tends to play more sports that are aligned with North American culture rather than European.

While that may seem peculiar to those in Europe, it makes a lot of sense when you consider why Hungarians have moved to Ohio which is a region of the States that is also totally obsessed with sports in general. In addition to this, Ohio does have professional sports teams that play in the NBA, MLB, and the NFL which makes it one of the most represented states in the land of the free when it comes to the country’s big leagues.

Nicholas Chubb is a superior being

📺: #CINvsCLE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/VayjqbH2PU

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 1, 2022

Indeed, this is a place where locals can’t get enough of the entertainment that sport provides which is why there is currently a buzz around the state given that sports betting is set to be officially launched in Ohio on the 1st of January 2023 after multiple licenses were granted. Bettors can read on to find out what to expect when the market opens in early 2023 but it’s safe to say that many promotions will take place with Caesars Sportsbook Ohio, in particular, already offering players a $100 free bet upon signing up.

Tellingly, it is during times like these when the state comes together to mark the start of a new sporting era that you can see how successfully Hungarians have integrated into the way of life that Ohio offers. It goes without saying but as you can see by now, there are many similarities between life in Hungary and Ohio.

This is why the state will remain for a long time to come, the place where most Hungarians live in America.