Bluffton's Woodcock power plant
Jim Diller shared this photo of Bluffton's Woodcock power plant with the Icon. It was originally a color slide taken by his father, Paul.
For viewers who may be unaware, the site of John's Body Shop on Lake Street was once a coal-fired power plant. It was razed in the 1980s.
The photographer captured the plant and the trees in a perfect reflection in the National Quarry on a summer afternoon.
You can see wisps of smoke coming from the stack. Notice that when this photo was takem the bank of the quarry were clear of brush, unlike today. There's also the remains of a building no longer standing on the east side of the quarry, near the rail road tracks.
At its busiest stage, the Woodcock plant required 11 coal cars per day. The plant did not supply Bluffton with power, as the village had its own power plant.
Stories Posted This Week
Monday, October 19, 2026
- Beavers sports roundup, October 14-18
- Ada Icon headlines, October 19
- JessExpress Travel is the Icon's newest advertiser
- Gatchel 7th in girls, Pirates 4th at NWC cross country meet
- Veterans invited to Pandora-Gilboa banquet, November 10
- October 19 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
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- Historic depot rentals offered for meetings and parties
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Friday, October 16, 2026
- Production offers a modern take on the story of St. Clare of Assisi
- Bluffton volleyball edged in 5 by Van Buren
- Pirate girls soccer tie O-G
- Bluffton Council recap: Officers honored for 25 years of service
- Bluffton Clean Up teams up with Troop 3256 Cub Scouts
- Ada FFA: Feeding the Farmers
- Nov. 7 Fall Community Day at Bluffton University
- Quarry Farm Nature Preserve news for Fall 2026
Thursday, October 15, 2026
- DeWine announces $200M Rural Health Transformation program award
- Herb program with Marge Lafollette, Oct. 15
- Prairie seeding activity at Bluffton University, October 24
- Food for thought: Choline for the brain
- Results for 5K on October 2, Bluffton University Homecoming event
- 15 minutes with Sherry Miller, senior center activities coordinator