Here are two photos of Bluffton men who entered a July 4, 1949, beard contest, which was part of a ‘49er gold rush night rodeo in Bluffton.

Front row from left, Joe Swank, Ed Rice, Lazarus “Santa Claus” Basinger, Dave Risser, Hiram Huser and Wilford Geiger.

Second row from left, Walter Gratz, Everett “Suty” Suttermeister, John Stonehill, Bill Augsburger, Robert Dillman, William “Kaiser” Gaiffe and Truxton Hill.

Top row from left, Walter “Red” Stannus, unidentified, Bill Edwards, Howard Stauffer, Harry Bogart, Al Ingalls and Clair Leiber.