Here are two photos of the Augsburger's Taxidermy float in a July 1986 Bluffton parade. The occasion was Bluffton's 125th anniversary celebration. That's Marvin Augsburger driving the tractor and his daughters in native American dress. Dick Boehr took these photos.
The year was 1986. Our community celebrated its 125th year as "Bluffton." There were lots of celebration events. One was a parade.
Here's a photo of what we believe is a queen candidate float. We think we see several familiar faces among the candidates and the young children in the front.
We encourage Icon viewers to help ID these girls.
Does this help - this photo is 31 years old. That means the queen candidates are approaching 50. The young girls are in their mid-30s.
This was Bluffton prior to mid-1956. Paul Diller took this photo of Nickel Plate Road Berkshire Lima-building steam locomotive 718.
CHECK OUT THE WOODCOCK PLANT PHOTO AT BOTTOM OF STORY. -
Paul photographed this fast-moving freight as it crossed the railroad bridge at Marsh Run north of Bluffton. The smoke stack in the background is the Woodcock power plant - bellowing more black smoke that the loco.
The freight passed Bluffton northbound toward Findlay and eventually ended in Bellevue.
Here is the Ebenezer Mennonite Church in rural Bluffton. This photo is believed to be taken in 1883 following an addition that was made to the building. The original church building was constructed in 1869.
When this photo was taken there were only two Mennonite churches in the Bluffton-Pandora Swiss Settlement. The other was St. John Mennonite, four miles to the north.
By 1890 there were between 800 and 950 Swiss Mennonites living here. At that time the congregation worshiped together on alternative Sundays at St. John and then at Ebenezer.
If the cold temperatures have you down, this photo may warm you up. It's the Bluffton Community Swimming Pool, which is no longer in existence.
The pool was on the east side of the Buckeye. It is included a bath house, baby pool, larger pool going to 5 or 6 feet, and the Buckeye quarry for persons who could pass a swim test. The Buckeye had three diving boards.
