What did Bluffton look like 60 years ago?

An artist’s rendition from 1961 examines that question more closely.

If you think nothing changes in Bluffton, think again. Here’s a bird’s-eye-view of Bluffton created 60 years ago, during the 1961 Bluffton centennial.

It shows the configuration of the village at that time.

The centennial committee also added the location of Bluffton’s first school house, a log grist mill, DeFord’s mill and the Townsend mill, which were among highlights of a centennial history tour.

The village has changed in many ways since this draw was created. For starters it now has land annexed into Hancock County.

Several of the other things that have changed since 1961 include many housing developments, growth at Bluffton University, expansion of the public school and hospital, plus several businesses that no longer exist, plus one railroad that is now abandoned.

A larger version of the drawing is at the bottom of this story and if you click on it the drawing enlarges.

The key to the map lists 39 locations and that key is below the map.

Footnote: Actually, we believe this drawing was created earlier than 1961 and was used during the centennial. However, we are not able to find the proper documentation. It may have been created in 1956 to promote the Ex-Cell-O opening, but further research is needed to verify this. 

One oddity shown on the map is a steam locomotive on the AC&Y Railroad, which would date this drawing much earlier than 1961.

Whenever it was created, it is now part of forgotten Bluffton.