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, August 3, 2026
- Bluffton Free or Reduced Lunch Program signup begins for 2026-2027
- Richland Township appoints new Zoning officials, hiring roads and zoning employees
- 2025-2026 BHS Athletic Boosters fundraiser goes digital
- BHS soccer alumni games and food pantry collection, Aug. 8
- Chicken BBQ tickets available for August 8, Bluffton History Day
- 2026 PorchFest preview: Amanda Rule, Dylan Spindler, Mason Ault and Piece of Mind
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Friday, July 31, 2026
- Gayla Sue Conaway worked for Marathon Oil Company
- TedFest '26 provides all-day fun in Pandora
- Drum Circle added to August 29 PorchFest
- Business Collective holds "War Room" on August 6
- Speed limit on State Route 103 reduced west of I-75
- Check out August 2026 programs and services at Bluffton Public Library
Thursday, July 30, 2026
- Vaccination clinics in Lima, Aug 3, 5 and 6 by appointment
- Backman’s My Friends is topic for BPL book discussions
- Wanted: Photos of bicycles in the Swiss Settlement
- Monday evening Hummin' & Strummin' Song Circle scheduled
- Time in a Bottle: Biologic aging versus our actual age
- Hyper-local focus of the Ada Icon and Bluffton Icon
- Learn about 92 years of Fett Hardware on Bluffton History Day