Historical Bluffton

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Members of the Bluffton College women's Varsity B during the 1941-42 school year:

Front from left, Eleanor Berky, Jeanne Baumgartner, Mary Alice Howe, Nancy Mayberry, Eloise Whitmore, Ruth Neuenschwander, Mary Jane Mayberry, Grace Adams and Ruth Mayer.

Center from left, Evelyn Johnson, Eleanor Weaver, Elaine Mitchell, Helen Soldner, Lois Sommers, Wilma Nonnamaker, Treva Arrants, Thelma Dailey and Frances Ramseyer.

To from left, Zitella Gettles, Frances Beckenbach, Grace Geissinger, Evelyn Hilty, Alma Schrock, Della Krebill, Helen Habegger and Martha Snyder.

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Bluffton College Men's Varsity B 1941-42 

Front from left, Robert Heiks, Evan Soah, George Swank, A.C. Burcky, Harold Lehman, John Thutt, Herbert Fretz.

Second row from left, Herbert Traucht, Richard Wenger, Robert Simcox, Alvin Ramseyer, David Yoder, Lloyd Hunsberger.

Top from left, Minard Deeds, Floyd Hugus, Earl Lehman, Paul Soldner.

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This 2003 Bluffton Middle School quiz bowl team was tournament champions for the Lima North tournament held that year, winning five of five matches.

Top row: Coach Sally Weaver-Sommer, Audrey Beasley, Ryan Lowry, Andy Lamb, Robert Hooley.

Middle row: Louise Jones, Hannah Shelly, Kalyn Burns, Lindsey McCracken, Micah Sommer, assistant coach Richard Weaver, assistasnt coach.

Bottom Row: John Harder, Jason Boyle, Jordan Cluts.

 

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Bluffton sports fans will honor the 1999-2000 Bluffton High School Division III state runners-up girls' basketball team on Saturday, Feb. 1. The 20-year recognition takes place during the halftime – approximately 7:30 p.m. – of the BHS boys' versus Pandora-Gilboa basketball game.

Members of the team, front from left, Abbie Fett, Abbey Schaaf, Caity Matter, Tara Buroker, Rachel Holt.

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In the early 1950s Paul Diller took a series of black and white portraits of Main Street men. This is one of those photos. It is of Lazarus Basinger, also known as "Santa Claus."

This photo was taken in front of Leland Gerber's Neu-Art Photo Studio on South Main Street. Today it is part of the Citizens National Bank parking lot.

Viewers with stories about Lazarus are welcome to send them to [email protected].

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In 1928 Bluffton High School was not yet called the Pirates.

Here's where they played football  – it's Harmon Field but the stadium and scoreboard aren't yet constructed. The sign by the gate reads: Do Not Drive – Park On Out Side.

Some viewers are old enough to recall the gates. They remained in place until, perhaps the 1980s.

On the schedule in 1928, Bluffton faced Lima Central, Forest, Carey, Tiffin Jr., Oakwood, Shawnee, Leipsic, Ada, Toledo Waite and Columbus Grove.

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