Note: Bluffton sixth graders in the 1953-54 school year (graduating class of 1960) created a booklet titled "The Bluffton Story." The following article is part of that booklet, which is now in the history collection at the Bluffton Public Library. This series continues each week on the Icon.
By Jerry Hilty and Ronald Zimmerly
The Bluffton Fire Department, led by Chief Guy Corson with 12 members, is one of the finest in this part of the country. They have two pumper and ladder trucks. The farmers of the surrounding area have just recently purchased a tank truck and donated it to the community.

The Bluffton Fire Department has had its times of excitement and its share of false alarms.

Some of the outstanding blazes were the National Quarry in 1929 when the department fought the blaze all night, but for a lost cause. The other big fire that will still be remembered by some of the readers was the destruction of the Bluffton Milling Co. building on Cherry St. The fire was discovered around 11 a.m. and firefighters could not leave the scene for over eighteen hours. The local department could not handle the danger of the fire spreading and help was summoned from Lima. Almost every home on Railroad St. as well as the lumber company had to have small blazes extinguished.

The town is governed by the village council with six members and the Mayor, each elected every two years.

Bluffton is a cultured community having two libraries. The Bluffton School or Public Library houses 12,000 volumes and the Bluffton College Library has 22,500 volumes. The Bluffton News has a circulation of 2,400 weekly.

Bluffton troop 56 of the Boy Scouts of America has, in the past, been an outstanding troop. In 1943, troop 56 had a total of 12 Eagle Scouts, the highest award of scouting, and it was known around the country as the first troop ever to be sponsored by a Mennonite church.

The Girl Scouts in Bluffton have been growing steadily and there are now Brownie troops and 4 Girl Scout troops.

To read previous part of this series, click here.