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Historical Bluffton

Bluffton Ohio Historical Society meets May 10

The May monthly meeting of the newly named Bluffton Ohio Historical Society will be Wednesday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. on the third floor of Bluffton City Hall. 

The meeting will include officer and sub-committee reports and a review of the Allen County Museum in Lima. 

Aaron Rule will present a program, "Bluffton Antiques and Artifacts" where he will show parts of his personal collection.

Bluffton's brush with history

By Fred. Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

A Bluffton News item from Oct. 29, 1896, states that J.S. Jennings of Armorsville received a letter from his cousin, William Jennings Bryan, Democratic candidate for president.

Point of interest: Armorsville no longer exists. At one time it was located on the County Line Road between Bluffton and Ada.

The interesting connection between this Bluffton area resident and a famous politician put us on a search of other residents with similar brushes with history.

Here’s what we found, each printed in the Bluffton News:

Oct. 31, 1907 - George Lewis returned Monday from Washington where he attended the postmaster’s convention. Of course, George shook hands with Teddy Roosevelt.

July 29, 1920 - Many local Republicans journeyed to Marion Thursday to see Senator Warren G. Harding accept the nomination for the presidency.

Making the trip were M.M. Murray, John Rogers, Roy Rogers, J.A. Thompson, Fred Tripplehorn, Edgar Jackson, Lloyd Murray, Hod Murray, George Lewis, A.C. LaPort, Dr. and Mrs. R.E. Hughson, Robert Hughson and Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Hauenstein.

March 4, 1937 - Captain Rene R. Studler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Studler of South Jackson Street, was recently presented to King George of England, at a reception held at St. James Palace in London.

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Name selected: Bluffton Ohio Historical Society

By Paula Scott

In an online vote that drew 26 opinions, a new group planning to create a Bluffton museum selected the name Bluffton Ohio Historical Society (BOHS). The results were presented and established by vote of those present at an April 12 meeting.

The fledgling group has regular meetings at 7:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month on the third floor of Bluffton Town Hall.

Buried treasure in Bluffton?

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Nah. Well, maybe.

We’ve collected several local stories of buried coins plus the discovery of coins older than your great-great grandmother. The following stories reveal some of the loose change that could be waiting discovery, plus a copy stories of rare finds right in our back yard.

Memories made in your grandparents' barn

By Kaye Phillips
Swiss Community Historical Society member

Spring brings back thoughts of playing in my grandparent’s barn. We lived beside my grandparents, so I had full access to explore daily. Kittens in the hay mow. Rabbits in the pens. Two steers that loved to be fed sugar cubes. Across the way were the sows and piglets. There was also a brooder house for chicks. The chicken coop was close to the barn and full of activity. Endless hours were spent enjoying the small farm.

The Beaver Dam saloon fight of 1895

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

The following story from the March 7, 1895, Bluffton News, reports on a most unusual response in Beaver Dam (Beaverdam), which resulted from this vote. It is posted word by word.

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