Historical Bluffton

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Bluffton experienced the sound of “a thousand freight trains”
8mm film of devastated properties

By Fred Steiner
Published Apr 12, 2015

That sound was the Palm Sunday, April 11, 1965, tornado.

At 9:45 p.m., it ripped across the rural Richland and Orange Township landscape. It was like no other natural disaster experienced prior or since then in this community.

Had the tornado’s path been one mile north it would have struck the Village of Bluffton. Had it been 600 feet farther north it would have hit 32 planes parked at the Bluffton Airport.

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The Bluffton Ohio Historical Society is inviting friends of Bluffton history to attend its monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 at the Bluffton Sportsmen's Club, 405 N Spring St.

Secretary Scott Little notes, "As usual, there will be lots to discuss. We’ll have committee reports (Building, History Day, Finance, Acquisitions, Depot Rentals, Membership, Grant Writing, Budgeting and Communications). Also, be thinking about what name we want to call the Depot/Train Station.  Do we want a more official name?

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March 29, 10:00 a.m.-noon Kick-off event at Bluffton Art Co., 105 E. Elm St.

The Bluffton Ohio Historical Society has announced a contest with youth and adult divisions that invites you to "reframe" Bluffton history in drawings, paintings, multi-media and photography.

A kick-off event will be held at Bluffton Art Company on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m.-noon. Twelve historic Bluffton photos will be on display to provide inspiration for entries.

There will be prizes for youth (18 & under) and adult winners.

Submissions must be 8.5 x 11 inches, in landscape (horizontal) orientation. Photos must be a minimum of 300 dpi.

The contest deadline is July 31, 2025.

For updates, visit the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society website, www.BlufftonForever.com or follow the society on Facebook.

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PHOTOS by Marvin Foster / Click images to enlarge and view at your own pace

By Scott Little
Bluffton Ohio Historical Society Secretary

Perhaps you have seen some historical artifacts in Bluffton storefronts over the last year. Those displays have been presented by the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society (BOHS), which was formed in 2022. On Wednesday night, January 15, the BOHS hosted Show and Tell, Part 1 at the Bluffton Public Library to encourage owners of local artifacts to display them publicly.  Over forty hardy attendees braved the cold and displayed and discussed a variety of local treasures.

Society President Ron Epp kicked off the program and sharing continued at a rapid pace for over an hour. Lithopolis, Oh. Attorney Dan Fox traveled over two hours to be present and gifted the BOHS with a State of Ohio certificate which 1932 Bluffton High School graduate and eventual Ohio Supreme Court Justice Ralph Locher had earned.  “I just knew when I saw this that it needed to be in Bluffton,” said Fox. 

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By Diane Winebar

Historical photos are bringing glimpses of Bluffton Presbyterian Church’s past as the church celebrates its 175th anniversary. 

This 1960 photo shows the church’s sanctuary at Christmastime. The simple decorations took nothing away from the impressive 1919 pipe organ. It was said that church organist Edgar S. Hauenstein went from playing a small pump organ to mastering the new pipe organ without missing a note. When not in front of the organ, Mr. Hauenstein could be found at his pharmacy located in the storefront now occupied by the Twisted Whisk Café.

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66 Years on Cherry Street

By Deb Beer

M & R stands for Bill McKibben and Harold Rau who originally began a partnership as McKibben and Rau at 118 Cherry St., Bluffton, working out of the garage at Bill McKibben’s home. This was 1958. The two men were brothers-in-law – Harold’s wife Ada is a sister to Bill’s wife Faye. According to Ada, they first did sheet metal work, roofing and plumbing and heating installation and repair.  The two couples were originally from the Continental, Ohio, area. McKibben had been working in the Findlay area and talked Harold into opening a shop in Bluffton.

In 1960 they opened a showroom in the former Dr. Munson Bixel office which was attached to the McKibben residence. This piece of real estate is now the Bluffton location of First National Bank of Pandora.

In 1962 the partners incorporated as M & R Plumbing and Heating. In 1973 Rau purchased McKibben’s half of the business and McKibben left to work for the Allen County Health Department as plumbing inspector. The following year, 1974, the business was moved to 212 Cherry St.  As part of the move, Rau installed an awning on the front of the building.   CONTINUES ▶︎

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