Here is a beautiful photo of Bluffton's Main Street sometime after 1906. We know that because the Western Ohio Railway tracks are in the center of Main Street.
There are several things to examine closely in this photo, which we would guess was taken by Will Triplett. The original photo measures 8 by 6 inches and was probably a contact print from the negative.
This was the Mennonite Memorial Home before any additions were added to the building. From a picture post card, the message on the back side reads "Mennonite Memorial Home," Home for the Aged, Bluffton, Ohio, Sponsored by Eight General Conference Churches in Ohio. This photo was taken in the mid 1950s.
Here's a classic Will Triplett photo. The subject is young Walter James Renner of Bluffton. The photo was taken on March 7, 1897, thanks to information written on the back of the photo.
While a photo of this pose today might be simple, consider Will Triplett's task in 1897.
His subject - a very young child - needed to stand is a "frozen" pose for several seconds. If he moved his image would be blurred. The pups in the photo were already under control.
Men's hats for $3.95 each, slacks for $2.99 and gloves for 23 cents a pair. Only at The Charles Company, once a downtown Bluffton business.
Our best guess is that this is either opening day of The Charles Co. in Bluffton, or on a stretch, one of Bluffton's Dollar Day sales. Leland Gerber took the photo.
The Charles Co., 108-110 S. Main St., was located where Citizens National Bank lobby stand today. Above it at one time was The Iron Lantern Restaurant.
This may require some thinking and a little imagination. We're pretty certain that this is a photograph of the Elmer Short greenhouse from the inside looking toward Grove Street.
Thie location of this greenhouse is today the garage on the Main Street side of the English Lutheran Church. The property is owned by Dean and Judy Augburger.
Too bad we can't identify the automobile parked in front. It almost resembles a "woody."
Icon viewers with better eyesight are encouraged to provide more details.
