Historical Bluffton

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Here's a family portrait of the Noah F. and Susan Steiner family. Seated from left, Ada Steiner Gierman, Noah, Susan, and Edna Steiner Oyer.

Standing from left, Alma Steiner Jorg, Adella Steiner Oyer, Nelson F. Steiner, Stanley Steiner and Emma Steiner Bertsche.

The family farm was two miles west of the Ebenezer Mennonite Church near the Zion Mennonite Cemetery. The photo was taken in the mid-1940s.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Here is a Leland Gerber photo of what we believe is a confirmation class from the Trinity Lutheran Church, Jenera. Icon viewers east of Bluffton should be able to identify these young people and place an exact date on the photo.

We wecome your information.

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The building at the corner of State Route 12 and Pandora Road in Pandora at once time was the McDowell-Marshall Buick dealership. Here's a Leland Gerber photo of the building showing early 1950 Buick models.

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