1933 portrayed in 1961: John Dillinger comes to Bluffton
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The year was 1933 - but actually 1961. A re-enactment of the John Dillinger bank robbery in Bluffton was portrayed in this scene from the Bluffton cenntennial historic pageant.
The pageant at Founders Hall was presented on two evenings during the week. Leland Gerber took this photo during the dress rehearsal. Rudi Steiner, who had just graduated from Bluffton High School that spring, is in the center collecting the loot. George Burkholder, a 1960 (?) BHS grad is on the right.
Here's the question to ponder. Who is portraying John Dillinger on the left? Yes, he's firing a gun in Founders Hall (blanks).
Rudi says it's Dick Cookson.
Stories Posted This Week
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Night at the (Swiss Historical) Museum, October 24
- Woodcarving ornament workshop at Swiss Heritage Center
- Barefoot nature walks at the Nature Preserve
- Pirate volleyball seeded 4th
- Beavers sports roundup, October 6-11
- Bluffton leaf pickup scheduled for last week of October
- Pirate boys soccer shuts out Bellefontaine
- Watch an after school movie at the Bluffton Public Library
- Dunlap awarded OSBA humanitarian award
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Friday, October 9, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 9
- Pirate girls soccer loss vs. St. Marys
- Pirate volleyball sweeps Carey
- “The Trumpet Player” sculpture at Bluffton University receives conservation grant
- October 9 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Plenty of action at Oct 10 Dillinger robbery reenactment and motorcycle show
- Caitlyn Couch junior piano recital, October 16
- Bluffton community survey opens for Active Transportation Plan