Central Ohio's odd connection to Paraguay

It turns out, that's a tricky place to start.

• We couldn't find any Paraguayan cultural group in Columbus or an explicitly Paraguayan restaurant.

The big picture: That's because Paraguay represents the smallest Hispanic group in the U.S.

• There were only 22,000 Paraguayan immigrants in the country as of around 2010, and the 2000 Census counted just five states with over 1,000 such residents.
• Ohio wasn't even in the top 10.

The intrigue: We did, however, produce a president who became one of Paraguay's heroes.

Flashback: Rutherford B. Hayes, who Time once listed among the most forgettable presidents, was born in Delaware in 1822 — a local high school is still named for him.

• In 1877, Hayes took office after a long war between Paraguay and an alliance of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
• After the war, Argentina tried to claim a huge portion of Paraguay, and the sides asked the U.S. to mediate.

Hayes sided with Paraguay, a decision that gave the nation 60 percent of its present territory.

• There's still a holiday in his honor.

What they're saying: "Hayes is a giant. He is a spectacular, immortal figure for us," Villa Hayes Museum director Maria Teresa Garozzo told NPR.