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100 years ago the presidential election in Bluffton was just as hot as in 2016

Read our account from an eye-witness - did Wilson win, or Hughes?
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 7, 2016 - 9:31am

Milt Sprunger graduated from Bluffton College in 1920 and returned to Bluffton during his retirement. During his college years, he became very familiar with Main Street businesses and characters, and experienced the 1916 presidential election as a Blufftonite. Here is his election account, taken from "A Good Place to Miss: Bluffton Stories 1900-1975."

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Bluffton food pantry shelves are low

Here's a list of items in short supply
Posted by Fred Steiner on October 30, 2016 - 9:20pm

Supplies are low at the moment at the Bluffton food pantry, housed is the St. John's United Church of Christ. Donations may be taken to the church.

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A scary Halloween photo

Posted by Fred Steiner on October 27, 2016 - 2:45pm

Who needs a scary Halloween story when you can view a photo this scary. Imagine Pat and Richard Nixon in Bluffton during the 1979 (or 1980) Halloween parade. Accompanying the Nixons is Fred-in-Stein, who also frequents Bluffton at the end of each October.

Fred-in-Stein will be at the Bluffton Public Library tonight (Thursday, Oct. 27) taking photos of Halloweeners. Perhaps we'll see your photo later tonight on the Icon if you stop in at the library.

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Never turn left when you see this sign - but, where is it?

Posted by Fred Steiner on October 26, 2016 - 4:53pm

Okay, you know everything about Bluffton.

Tell the Icon where one might find this sign? (Denny Morrison is not eligible to enter this because we think he know the answer.)

Here are some hints:

• You'll only find this sign turned on two times a day
• When it turns on it doesn't remain on very long
• It's on the east side of Main Street
• It's a very old sign
• It's message is very wise - it would be very risky to turn left this the sign is on

Answer is the in the photo below:

 

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A Bluffton ghost story that's over 100 years old

It involves Maple Grove Cemetery and apparitions seen there at night
Posted by Fred Steiner on October 21, 2016 - 10:38pm

By Fred-in-Stein
Ready for a couple Bluffton ghost stories?

Here’s one you’ve probably never heard. I’ll share two versions.

Sometime in the early 1980s Rolland Stratton, longtime Bluffton resident, told me his version from memory. I wrote it down after hearing it, wondering if he was telling me the truth.

Then, in a dusty file folder in a forgotten drawer in third floor of the town hall – before it was renovated - I discovered the second version. It was beautifully hand-scribed in India ink, almost too faded to read.

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The three sides of Joan Bauman

Missionary, teacher, businesswoman
Posted by Fred Steiner on October 20, 2016 - 11:29am

We knew three sides of Joan Bauman:
• teacher at Cory-Rawson for 30 years
• owner of a Bluffton bed and breakfast
• a person with an international view

For those 30 school years at Cory-Rawson, students knew “Mrs. Bauman” as the teacher whose room was in the top right corner of the old Rawson school.

As a third grade teacher, former students describe her in glowing terms:

“my all-time favorite teacher,” “phenomenal,” “a teacher with a big heart,” and “larger than life.”

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