Here's an aerial view of Bluffton taken by Leland Gerber. Our guess is 1974 for this photo. We base this on the existence of Riley View Apartments, which were constructed that year. Notice that there is no Vance Street building yet (it was built in 1986);
Check out several landmarks:
1 - 1911 Bluffton High School
2 - Urich's IGA (now Community Market)
3 - Look closely at Citizens National Bank - what do you see?
4 - Look at the houses where the middle school is today
Here's a Bluffton College choral group, with its director Russell Lantz, standing on the far right. We can't pinpoint an exact date for the photo, but we've identified a couple members of the choir.
It appears that Stan Bohn is standing on the right, just above Lantz. We also see Richard Boehr in the row below Stan (right side).
There's some other familiar faces, but we'll leave identifications open to Icon viewers. What's the name of the group and when was the photo taken?
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.
Millager's Pharmacy eventually replaced The Charles Company when it closed.
Viewers with other observations of this photo are welcome to comment. Our guess on a year is early to mid-1950s.
Here's an interesting aerial photograph of Bluffton prior to the 1960s. The Leland Gerber photo shows College Hall and the Musselman Library. Notice that a drive way is between the library and College Hall.
Also, the library lacks its 1960-era addition. There is no parking lot behind College Hall. Mosiman Hall was probably not yet built.
We invite Icon viewers to offer more observations.
Here's a Leland Gerber black and white photo of a women's sports team from the Triplett company. Senior Icon viewers, please help us to identify these women and, if it is a team sport, share some information for other viewers.
I may get in trouble for posting this photo. You'll soon figure out why.
This photo represents some of the members of the eventual Bluffton High School graduating class of 1968.
This is Elfrieda Howe's private kindergarten during the 1955-56 school year. It is located at 118 S. Spring St. Today it is the Jon and Sally Weaver Sommer residence. It was a morning kindergarten.
