By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Imagine a hot air balloon ascension in Bluffton years before the Wright brothers flew the first airplane.

Imagine Bluffton’s first-ever automobile to hit a speed of 50 miles per hour–114 years ago–as an enormous crowd watched in awe.

During a 30-year period from about 1890 to 1920 Bluffton’s Fourth of July celebrations were the biggest events of the year here.

Several included hot-air balloon ascensions. And, only five years after the first gasoline-powered vehicle was owned in Bluffton, a local driver, with the last name of Benroth, did race down Main Street at a record-breaking speed.

To provide these statements, we’ve highlighted two Fourth of July celebrations, one from 1899 and another from 1909.

Did we mention one included a 250-foot tight wire slide made by a man holding onto a pulley by his teeth? Add that to the mix.

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1899 Fourth of July highlights
Described in advance this way by the Bluffton News, “Bluffton expects to eclipse all former attempts at celebrating this year. The people of neighboring towns are invited to come to Bluffton on the Fourth.” 

Certainly the high-wire act described next would be a show-stopper even today. This story sounds like a scene from The Wizard of Oz, if only we could add the flying monkeys. A high-wire slide performed by a Professor William Southworth was one event as a tight wire was stretched from the tower of the town hall to a telegraph pole near another Main Street building. 

Southworth made the slide successfully holding onto the pulley by his teeth. The distance was 260 feet and established a world’s record in high wire sliding. 

An hour later a balloon was sent up with the professor hanging onto the parachute. 

The balloon sailed on for quite a distance before it came down. It sailed in a southwesterly direction where the drop was successfully accomplished, coming down near Fred Geiger’s residence. 

Southworth was busy that day. He made a balloon ascension in Harrod in the morning. He then rode a bike from Harrod to Bluffton and back to Harrod, quite an accomplishment for one day. For the Bluffton performance he received $10.

1909 Fourth of July highlights
The story of the celebration follows, and a few explanations are necessary.

• The first automobile to be owned in Bluffton was in 1904. So, the reference to a vehicle racing at 50 miles per hour in 1909 was probably the first time ever a vehicle drove that fast in Bluffton.

For photos and the rest of the story visit www.blufftonforever.com/