Rudi Steiner remembers Bluffton in the 1950s:
For more information about "Bluffton Anthology" click here.
Rudi Steiner remembers Bluffton in the 1950s:
• On Main Street, or close to it, you could get a flattop or a perm,
try on a ladies hat,
have your foot X-rayed,
buy a 3-cent first class stamp,
purchase a Farmall tractor,
eat a hamburger,
open a Christmas savings account,
put an ad in the Bluffton News,
pick up a day-old Chicago American newspaper,
pay a fine for an overdue book,
catch a Greyhound “Scenicruiser’’ bus to Lima or Toledo,
gas up your car and even graduate from high school.
• If your cow needed shots Niswander or Herring, veterinarians,
were ready to shoot it.
There were two Dr. Basingers to pull your teeth,
three doctors to make you feel better when you were sick, and
a hospital to go to if you broke your arm or needed your tonsils removed.
• If you were a “Ford, Chevy or Buick man” Bluffton had a dealer for you.
• If you died, there were two undertakers eager to handle your funeral arrangements and
several churches ready to save your soul and get you to Heaven.
This is a sample of the content of "Bluffton Anthology - A creek runs through it." Copies are now available for $24.95 plus tax in Bluffton at:
• Roots by Strattons
• The Food Store
• The Black Lab
• Bluffton Senior Citizens Center
• The Dough Hook
• Polished
Stories Posted This Week
Monday, August 3, 2026
- Bluffton Free or Reduced Lunch Program signup begins for 2026-2027
- Richland Township appoints new Zoning officials, hiring roads and zoning employees
- 2025-2026 BHS Athletic Boosters fundraiser goes digital
- BHS soccer alumni games and food pantry collection, Aug. 8
- Chicken BBQ tickets available for August 8, Bluffton History Day
- 2026 PorchFest preview: Amanda Rule, Dylan Spindler, Mason Ault and Piece of Mind
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Friday, July 31, 2026
- Gayla Sue Conaway worked for Marathon Oil Company
- TedFest '26 provides all-day fun in Pandora
- Drum Circle added to August 29 PorchFest
- Business Collective holds "War Room" on August 6
- Speed limit on State Route 103 reduced west of I-75
- Check out August 2026 programs and services at Bluffton Public Library
Thursday, July 30, 2026
- Vaccination clinics in Lima, Aug 3, 5 and 6 by appointment
- Backman’s My Friends is topic for BPL book discussions
- Wanted: Photos of bicycles in the Swiss Settlement
- Monday evening Hummin' & Strummin' Song Circle scheduled
- Time in a Bottle: Biologic aging versus our actual age
- Hyper-local focus of the Ada Icon and Bluffton Icon
- Learn about 92 years of Fett Hardware on Bluffton History Day