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The earliest known photo of the town hall

Posted by Fred Steiner on February 19, 2013 - 10:40pm

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Bluffton's town hall originally served several functions that it does not serve today. For example, the town hall was shared between the village and the Richland Township trustees. In addition, the Bluffton post office was housed on the first floor (south side).

The Odd Fellows Lodge hall served the lodge on the third floor. The third floor originally had a dance floor and also served as a location for community programs.

The town hall also had a jail, located on the first floor of the Elm Street side.

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Historical Bluffton
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What would the Buckeye look like without water?

Posted by Fred Steiner on February 10, 2013 - 9:12pm

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Have you ever wondered what the Buckeye would look like with the water drained? Here's the answer. This photo shows the "Buckeye Stone Quarries" - does that mean there were more than one?

Although we aren't certain, our hunch is that this photo was taken from the "Main Street" side of the quarry looking toward Spring.  This photo is not dated, however, a plat map of Bluffton from 1880 shows Riley Creek and the Marsh Run, and no quarry exists. So the Buckeye was quarried after 1880.

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Historical Bluffton
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BHS class of '68 in second grade

Posted by Fred Steiner on January 29, 2013 - 8:47pm

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Jeannette Klay’s second grade – (BHS class of 1968), 1957-58 school year.

Top row from left, Sue Hauenstein, Aletta Neidermyer, Martha Luginbuhl, Joyce Reichenbach, John Maag, Roger Kagy, Robert Sims, Bob Everett, Rick Emmert, Mrs. Klay.

Third row from left, Adah Lehman, student teacher, James Henry, Larry Conrad, Barbara Diller, Linda Marshall, Ann Triplett, Judy Westrick, Janice Luginbuhl Patty Benroth, Mary Jane Baker, Bill Garrett.

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Historical Bluffton
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Belles of Pandora - 1906

Posted by Fred Steiner on January 22, 2013 - 8:53am

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What is it about girls from neighboring towns? Take Bluffton and Pandora for example. Long-time Bluffton resident Sidney Hauenstein once upon a time had a girl friend from Pandora. We base this upon the following postcard from "Alma" of Pandora.

She sent him this postcard - in the days before facebook and Twitter. 

Her message was similar to social media messages of today. Read on:

TOP: Are there any more at home like you? Hope this will find you well and happy. Alma

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Historical Bluffton
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County champs of 1904

Posted by Fred Steiner on January 15, 2013 - 12:45pm

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Here's a photo indentified only as "County Champions" BHS 108 ------ 30. We take this to mean a Bluffton football team in 1904 was the best squad in Allen County, scoring 108 points and having only 30 points scored on them. We don't know how many games they played or who were their opponents.

For example, if they played five games, they averaged 21.6 points (three touchdowns per game) against only 1 for their opponents. 

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Historical Bluffton
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English Lutheran confirmation class - 1950s

Posted by Fred Steiner on January 7, 2013 - 5:05pm

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Here's an English Lutheran Church confirmation class taken in the mid-1950s. Lutheran viewers can help us identify everyone in the photo and perhaps place a year on it. We can identify two of the youth, from left, Craig Edwards, Irene (Basinger) Althaus,_______ Schmidt and unidentified. Can a viewer help us and possibly name the minister? Leland Gerber took this photo.

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Historical Bluffton
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