Historical Bluffton

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Here's a rare photograph of a electric interburban that stopped at the Beaverdam Western Ohio station. The year is 1910.

The trolley is headed to Lima from Bluffton. You can see the conductor in the car window. The Beaverdam Western Ohio station was at the intersection of the Nickel Plate steam railroad on what today is State Route 696.

This photo is a post card.

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Here is the 1927 St. John's E &R Church (UCC) confirmation class.

Front from left, Robert Balmer, Eula Schaublin and John  Romey.

Middle row from left, Dale Davidson, Alma Agin, Rev. Arthur K. Beisheim, Margaret Luginbuhl and Maynard Niswander.

Top from left, Wilmer Badertscher, Frances Criblez, Bess Patrick, Jane Miller and Emerson Niswander.

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Here's the 1949 confirmation class of the St. John's E & R Church (United Church of Christ).

Front row from left, Barbara Reichenbach, Mary Lou Lewis, Mary Ann Basinger, Kay Matter, Ruth Nonnamaker, Shirley Derringer, Sue Risser and Marcile Moser.

Back row from left, LaVerne Moser, James Green, Rev. Oppermann, Clarence Greiner and Robert Leiber.

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The 1925 Bluffton College football team had a four-game season, but check the schedule: Ohio Northern University, Findlay, Bowling Green and Defiance.

 

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Here's the confirmation class at St. John's E & R Church (United Church of Christ) in 1956.

From from left, Cathy Basinger and James Swank.

Second row from left, Linda Mericle, Ruth Badertscher, Shirley Frantz, Sandra Diller, Nancy Geiger and Nancy Montgomery.

Top from left, James Jordan, Steve Herr, Lee Badertscher, Rev. Vernon C. Oppermann, Don Deerhake, Keith Baker and Ronald Zimmerly.

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Once upon a time in Bluffton, if swimming was the plan, this was the scene.

The photo, enlarged from a snapshot taken in the early 1920s shows the Buckeye from the south bank looking north.

The building in the photo is very near the location of today's shelter house.

The "pool" had a slide and diving board platform (on the right), and a dressing area. Missing from the scene is a float (raft) with two barrels underneath.

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