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Have you heard of V-mail?

Posted by Staff on January 6, 2024 - 9:01am

By Kaye Phillips
For Swiss Community Historical Society Facebook

E-mail is a commonly used form of communication, but have you heard of V-mail?

V-mail, short for 'Victory mail" was used during WWII to expedite mail service for the Armed Forces serving overseas. V-mail was put in place to reduce the space needed to transport mail and free up room to ship other valuable supplies.

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Historical Bluffton
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Bluffton Forever: Could be Ohio's oldest New Year's tradition

Posted by Staff on December 30, 2023 - 7:42am

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Here's your invitation to be part of what could be the oldest continued New Year's tradition in Ohio: Singing traditional German carols composed by David Rothen, a Swiss pioneer in rural Bluffton. The event is sponsored by the Swiss Community Historical Society.

New Year's Caroling, in German and English, takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Carolers meet in the lobby of Maple Crest Senior Living, 700 Maple Crest Court. After rehearsal, the group will sing in the halls of Maple Crest. Music scores will be provided and first-time carolers are welcome to join.

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Historical Bluffton
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When Santa Claus lived in Bluffton

Posted by Paula Scott on December 24, 2023 - 6:00am

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Over the decades Bluffton residents lift up several memorable individuals to a sacred list known as “Bluffton characters.”  One of those special people was Lazarus “Lotzy” Basinger, (also known as Santa Claus) a familiar face in the Bluffton crowd over his 90-year life span.

These special people each developed a niche of their own calling, earning respect from the common citizen. Their traits and stories are recalled by many, although they are unknown by today’s younger and newer residents. 

To us, their contributions to what makes Bluffton such an interesting and accepting community cannot be ignored.

Lazarus was probably one of the last people in Bluffton who experience way of life of the earliest Swiss immigrants. He was raised on his father’s farm near Pandora, Riley Township, Putnam County, Ohio.

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Historical Bluffton
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Lobster and oysters on 1898 Bluffton Christmas dinner

Posted by Staff on December 17, 2023 - 8:11am

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Blue point oysters, bisque of lobster, baked shad with piquant sauce, cheese straws, Philadelphia capon, Roman punch, cream tartlets with foam sauce…and, we’ve not yet mentioned the roasts on the menu.

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Historical Bluffton
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When Bluffton's CVS was a clothing and shoe store

Posted by Staff on December 10, 2023 - 6:00am

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

The Main Street Bluffton building housing today’s CVS Pharmacy served the community as a retail business for nearly 125 years. Originally the building housed two businesses, one on the north side and the other on the south.

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Historical Bluffton
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One century plus 12 years ago

Posted by Paula Scott on December 3, 2023 - 7:47am

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Question: When did Bluffton High School first offer a girls’ basketball team?
Answer: We aren’t certain, but we are getting closer to the answer.

We’ve pushed it back to 1911, thanks to a photo in the collection of Rose Harvey, whose grandmother, Clara Fett Andrews, was on the team.

Here’s the sophomore girls’ basketball team from that year. We know this because the basketball reads “Soph – 1911.”

And, 1911 was the first year that Bluffton had its own high school building. Prior to that all 12 grades were housed in one building on Jackson Street.

This team played games either in the 1911 BHS building, where the gym eventually became the band room. Or, they played games in a building behind The Food Store which was also a roller rink. We know that boys teams played in both locations.

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Historical Bluffton
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