Historical Bluffton

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Here's the cast of a 1927 Bluffton High School class play "Merely Mary Ann." Names of the cast are under the photograph.

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Here's an interesting Bluffton farm photo from the 1920s-early-1930s.

It's a farm boy riding a cart pulled by a dog, as the boy holds another dog on his lap.

The writing on the back of the snapshot reads: Levi Althaus's son, John, and his dogs, Tootsie and Puger (spelling?).

John is 3 in this photo - the same age as the dog, described as a "very fine" collie. (Collection of Fred Steiner)

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It was a sunny afternoon in July, 1986. Jim Ehrman, former Bluffton school superintendent, is the parade master of ceremonies during the Bluffton 125th anniversary celebration. He's on the review stand in front of the Presbyterian Church. (Dick Boehr photo)

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Did you ever wonder when Bluffton first provided school buses to rural students? The answer is here.

In the 1930-31 school year two vehicles were put in service. Later in the year another joined the fleet. Two additional buses were added in 1931-32. Here are the first five school buses taken during the 1933-34 school year.

Drivers standing beside their buses from left, Francis Basinger, Jerome Herr, Jesse Yoakam, Robert Amstutz, Chris Gratz and Richard Bixel (absent).

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Here are two photos of a Main Street bridge over Riley Creek - earlier than the present bridge in that location. Both photos are in the book "The Bluffton We Never Knew."

Bluffton pioneer photographer Will Triplett took the two photos in 1895 at the opening of this bridge crossing the Riley on Main Street. A note written on the envelope holding the negative reads “Bridge on Indian Trail.” This confirms the story that Main Street was originally a trail created by Native Americans.

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Here's a photograph of Bluffton College students from Wayne County during the 1925-26 school year.

According to the college yearbook, the Ista, Wayne County represented the second large number of students by county who attended Bluffton that year. Allen County had the most studnts.

Like today, the club carried familiar Wayne County names including Badertscher, Smucker, Hostettler, Amstutz, Gerber and Miller.

Names of the students are under the photo.

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