Readers of the Icon's Maple Grove ghost story will find this business card (we're showing the front and back) of interest.
It's the card of M.M. "Dode" Murray who was one of the Murray quadruplets - the only ones ever born in Bluffton. Here are three, at the time known as the Murray tripletts. Lloyd, the fourth brother died at birth.
The Murray tripletts were nicknamed Med, Hod and Dode. M.M., in the business card, was mayor of Bluffton from 1918 to 1922. He was also for a time, Bluffton postmaster.
You've stopped at this corner at Columbus Grove countless times. But, did you know that the building here was once the Opera House Block? We know that thanks to the message on the top of the post card.
Bluffton High School's marching band history goes at 90 school years. The first band, according to the Bluffton High School yearbook, was organized in 1925-26.
Here's the band in 1930-31, wearing the first-ever uniforms of the band. This band placed second in the Northwestern Ohio Instrumental Eisteddof held at Ada.
Band competing at that event were Bowling Green, Ada, Fostoria, Lima Central and Bluffton. Fostoria's band won the contest.
The band members are identified by instrument they play, not in their standing order. Sidney Hauenstein directed the band.
This very interesting Bluffton photo needs some background.
Taken in the 1914-15 school year, this Bluffton College student group called themselves “Student Volunteers.” It turns out that members of this group intended to enter the Christian mission field upon graduating from college.
Here’s who they are and some of their family connections to Bluffton today:
Top from left, H.W. Berky (faculty advisor), Floyd Pannabecker, Lloyd Pannabecker and Walter Niswander.
Here's a photograph from the 1961 Bluffton centennial community pageant. This scene represents the Methodist Church and the first Methodist family in Shannon. From left are Evelyn Steiner, Rev. James Kuhn (seated), James Szabo and Barb Eastman. The pageant was in Founders Hall.
