Compare the 1950-era photo with one taken today at the bottom of this story -
Unlike many small towns, Bluffton's Main Street outlived the malls, survived an interstate bypass and today is home of over 40 small businesses located between the town hall and the public library.
Almost seven decades ago Paul Diller photographed this iconic Main Street scene. When this photo was taken Main Street was also U.S. 25, known as the Dixie Highway. (There existed no interstate highway bypassing town.)
If you are, say 50 or younger, you may not know the location of this photo. Icon viewers 50 and older recognize it as the East College Avenue bridge, looking toward Harmon Field.
Paul Diller took this photo on a foggy morning in the fall. Who knows, perhaps he even posed the farmer on his tractor.
Some things to notice:
• One wooden sidewalk on the north side of the bridge
• No curb or additional sidewalk anywhere in sight
• Although College Avenue is paved, it appears that it could use a upgrade
Here's a look at the Bluffton College campus from the air in 1949. We know the year because Founders Hall is under construction. It's on the top of the photo just to the right of center.
Paul Diller snapped this photo and then very quickly stepped aside as this giant Lima-built Berkshire steam locomotive barrelled toward him at about 65 miles per hour.
We can only guess what the engineer and fireman thought as they approached a photographer, standing in the middle of the rails.
Coming from Bellevue, it was westbound to Lima, and onto Muncie, Indiana, and headed perhaps as far west at St. Louis.
