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Historical Bluffton

1963 Interstate accident

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The year is 1963 - according to the license plate on the turned-over truck. The scene is the construction of one of the Interstate 75 overpasses around Bluffton. We don't have the specific information about this accident, but the photo reveals the following:

1 - Bluffton fire department responded. Truck number 2, a late 1930s-era Mack, is parked in the southbound lane. Is that Charles Swank of the fire department, talking the the man in the sunglasses?

Here's the real Bentley Road overpass photo

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We were fooled about the location of the previous overpass photo. But, not this time. This is the Bentley Road overpass under construction south of Bluffton. There are several things to point out.

First, the southbound lane of I 75 appears to be still under construction. The orignal Route 25 bypass of Bluffton eventually became Interstate 75. The original bypass was two lanes - the northbound lane of I-75.

UPDATE: It's not the Bentley Road overpass

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UPDATE:

Thanks to our two viewer comments, we've re-thought this photo. We believe it is the Interstate 75 overpass over the abandoned AC&Y Railroad, east of Bluffton.

The northbound bridge is completed and, actually traffic is one-way on that bridge, while the southbound bridge is still under completion in this photo.

HERE'S WHAT WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT, AND THE INFORMATION BELOW IS NOT CORRECT:

St. John's UCC centennial committee (1973)

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This week celebrates the 140th anniversary of St. John's United Church of Christ. Here is a photo of the congregation's centennial committee, taken in 1973.

Front, from left, Meredith Stepleton, Rhoda Matter, correspondence; Silas Diller, general chairman; La Donna Derringer, secretary; Sidney C. Stettler, history chairman and booklet chairman; Leota Badertscher, church publications.

Steinman Lumber -in Bluffton, Jenera and Ada

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Don Steinman from Arlington, found this sign in a antique store in pretty bad shape. He had a fellow restore it for him.  Don is relation to the Steinman's from the lumber company and is also the editor and president of the Eagle Creek Historical Organization clubs newsletter in Arlington.

Steinman Lumber Company's Bluffton office was on the site of Riley Creek Mercantile on Cherry Street.

Viewer comments are wecome. (Photo by Dennis Morrison)

I think I'll go to Geiger and Diller to buy a pair of shoes

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Here's Silas Diller of Geiger and Diller's men's clothing store with BHS student Sue Neiswander (Amstutz) in a 1970 Bluffton High School yearbook advertisement.

Geiger and Diller's store was located where the former Deer Creek Shoppes was located on North Main Street.

Icon viewers' comments are welcome.

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