1949 Bluffton beard contest
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.
Stories Posted This Week
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Pirates Essinger and Gatchel finish cross country season at OHSAA Championships
- Nov. 7 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Pirate football hits Archbold roadblock in playoff loss
- Forum: Vaughn explores biblical and multicultural accounts of spirits and exorcism
- Bluffton University relaunches Leadership Development Program with NetVUE grant support
- Weekend Doctor: When distraction becomes the default
Friday, November 6, 2026
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
- Klausing graduates from Ohio Bankers League Bank Management School
- Joellen Kay Lehman, 46, owned and operated Folly Faces
- Dec. 4-5 Messiah performances continue holiday tradition at Bluffton and Findlay
- Future Beaver Saturdays invite students to experience Bluffton University
- Ellie Bogart named BHS Student of the Month for October 2026
- Walter "Steve" Suter, 73, worked at Kirtland’s Auto Repair
- Grab an afterschool snack at the Bluffton Public Library