Historical Bluffton

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Fifty-six years ago this month Bluffton High School boy's basketball team reigned as the 1955-56 non-county tournament champions. This photo was taken in the old Celina fieldhouse.

Front row, from left, Bill Herr, Marvin Diller, Jim "Spike" Berry, Jack Fields, Joe Urich, Ron Lora and Jim Fisher.

Back row from left, Dan Gleason, Ron Geiser, Don Alspach, Ralph Reichenbach, Ramon Lewis, Dave Shoemaker, Don Badertscher (manager).

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Here's a classic Bluffton High School photo. It is the earliest photo of the entire student body we've ever viewed. To make it even better most of the students are identified, with some extra descriptions tossed it. We've added class graduating years, when known, based upon the graduation list in "A Good Place To Miss: Bluffton Stories 1900-1975."

Here goes:

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Bluffton Boy Scouts in the early 1960s posed for this photo. Standing from left, Larry Crow, Lee Cookson, Roger Benroth, Lynn Basinger, Steve Sutermeister and Dan Luginbuhl. Front from left, Tom Brauen, Bob Blank, Fred Rodabaugh.

Can anyone tell The Icon what tune they are ready to sing?

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This photo of a Bluffton elementary class tour of the Bluffton Post Office was taken when first-class stamps were 3 cents. Ralph Stearns shows students the workings of the post office in these two photos, probably taken by Leland Gerber.

Can Icon views identify any of the students in these photos?

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Here's a classic Bluffton swimming pool photo. Originally a 2 1/2 by 4 inch snapshot, we've enlarged and enhanced for Icon viewers to study closer. The period is the early 1920s.

This is north side of the Buckeye, just to the west of today's shelter house. The man on the pier is probably Steiner Geiger, who was the life guard and swimming teacher. The bath house is behind him. Notice the diving boarrds and the rope that crosses the quarry. The rope divided the "shallow" end from the "deep" end.

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If you are an older Bluffton Baby Boomer this fisherman probably checked your eyes at some point in your life.

This is a photo of Dr. Gordon Bixel, O.D., with what appears to be his cath of the day - a northern pike? No this was not the tagged fish of the 1921 trout derby. But it's possible that the photo was taken around 1921.

If you've had your eyes checked by Dr. Bixel, you may comment on this photo. Dr. Alan Yoder assumed Dr. Bixel's practice on Main Street upon Dr. Bixel's retirement.

(From Fred Steiner's collection)

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