This news release is the third in a series of five that will highlight different aspects of the Bluffton Sesquicentennial.

The Village of Bluffton announces its Sesquicentennial Celebration in honor of Bluffton's "150 Years of Progress." Bluffton's Sesquicentennial will consist of an entire week of displays, lectures, films, celebratory events, and competitions.

1) Triplett Photo Exhibit

A photo exhibit hosted by Bluffton University will showcase the work of Will A. Triplett and reveal life in Bluffton as captured in photographs during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Will A. Triplett was Bluffton's photographer for over 50 years. In the days before film cameras, Triplett's photographic work was done with large glass plates and flash powder, items that can be seen at the exhibit. To put this in context, visitors can also learn about the history of photography, experience a replica of the earliest image maker, the camera obscura, and view the earliest digital camera, on loan from Xerox Corporation. The exhibit will include more than one hundred items, including photographic prints from the collections of Dick Boehr, Fred Steiner, and Tish Triplett, related artifacts, and 30 years of second- and third-grade class photos collected by John Murray. Visitors can also help name unidentified people in some of the photos.

The Will Triplett Photo Exhibit will run from June 12 to July 2 in the Grace Albrecht Gallery, Sauder Visual Arts Center at Bluffton University. Exhibit hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. An opening reception will be held on June 12 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free.

2) Mennonite Historical Display

Bluffton University's Musselman Library will host a display covering the history of Bluffton University as a part of the community, the progression of campus development, as well as some other historical aspects related to the university's influence on Bluffton. The Mennonite Historical Collections, based at the library, is a resource for learning more about the settlement of Bluffton and surrounding communities and the families who came here. Part of the exhibit will feature selected family history resources for familiar names in our greater community, as well as other resources that describe and illustrate the community's Mennonite roots. Musselman Library lobby: Monday, June 27 through Friday, July 1, 8:30 am to 5 pm.

3) Bluffton History Artifacts, and Bring Your Own!

Interesting artifacts from our town's past will be on display at Town Hall from Saturday, June 25 through Saturday, July 2. On Tuesday June 28th, at 3 pm and Thursday, June 30th at 2 pm, Dennis Morrison will describe the stories of these antique remembrances. He will be speaking about items that he has found using a metal detector, with a special focus on artifacts recovered during the recent excavation and replacement of Bluffton's Main Street sidewalks. On June 29th at 4 pm he will speak again about the Bluffton mayors and some interesting things that happened in the early history of Bluffton.

He is inviting anyone who has a historical Bluffton item that they would like to display to bring their artifacts to the third floor of the Town Hall on June 16, 17, & 18 between the hours of 4-7 pm. You must fill out a form to display your item.

4) Swiss Community Historical Society displays

The Historical Society will have three display areas in Bluffton: Town Hall third floor, Senior Citizens Center window and the glass cabinet inside, and the Deer Creek window. On display will be religious, household, retail, and farm items and photographs.

5) Local historian Dr. Darrell Groman will present "History Comes Alive!" Lecture Series. Groman will present two lectures:

"Riley Creek and the little-known facts about Captain James Riley"

On the Third Floor, Town Hall Monday, June 27 and Thursday, June 30 7-9pm.

Bluffton history books of 1961 and 1986 only mention James Riley as being the original surveyor of the area and that Riley Creek was likely named for him. This lecture will present fascinating facts about James Riley's life five years earlier as a sea captain and his Sufferings in Africa from shipwreck and enslavement in Africa.

As part of this presentation Groman will show the video documentary "Skeletons On The Sahara," produced by the History Channel and based upon Captain Riley's own personal account in his Narratives, will be shown. It is advised the film may not be suitable for young children.

Joyce Alig, President of the Mercer County Historical Society and writer of a book on Captain Riley will offer comments during the Monday lecture. This lecture will reveal interesting facts how Riley's Narratives influenced the young Abe Lincoln and how his book influenced the thoughts of slavery in the decades preceding the Civil War. History comes alive as we learn about Captain Riley in his roles as farmer, sea captain, deputy surveyor, frontiersman, and representative to the Ohio House. Come to the lecture to learn the location of Deer Creek and the historical reason for naming it Riley Creek.

Tuesday, June 28 and Wednesday, June 29 at 2:00 P.M. Groman will offer "The Three Joseph DeFords and Shannon Town" The Bluffton history books of 1961 and 1986 mention the town of Shannon was platted in 33 lots by Joseph DeFord in 1838, after building a cabin in 1832 and grist mill in 1833 along the banks of Riley Creek.

Little-known facts reveal there were actually three Joseph DeFords: the eldest, his son and grandson, all so named without designations of Sr., Jr., nor I, II and III. This lecture will present interesting facts about the DeFords and how they found their way to settle along the banks of the Riley. Which Joseph DeFord platted Shannon and why was it named Shannon? Is the official historical marker on the edge of town, noting Bluffton being established as a Swiss Settlement, accurate? Early history of Shannon Town, Croghan Post Office and General Store and the incorporating of the village as Bluffton will be discussed as History comes Alive!

6) Bluffton welcomes Allen County Museum Curator of Collections John Carnes for several lectures. June 28 at 7pm, attired in a Union privates' uniform, he will tell the story of "The Day to Day Life of an Average Soldier of the US Civil War," a program highlighting uniforms, equipment and hardship. June 29 at 3pm we will here from him again with "The 2nd Ohio Voluntary Infantry during the Spanish-American War," a program that describes the experience of local soldiers during the summer and fall of 1898. He will show various weapons and equipment of the time.

7) The SHANNON Service Club of along with the Shannon Theatre are excited to host two presentations: "History of Shannon Theatre" and "History of S.H.A.N.N.O.N. Service Club of Bluffton (Sharing Hopes And Nourishing Needs Of Neighbors)." The evening will include Bluffton USA , a video produced in 1974 by WBGU. This event will take place Friday, July 1, 9:00am -12:00pm at the Shannon Theatre. Admission is free.

8) Garden Club's Horticultural Show will be held at the Middle School all day on Friday, June 24, 10:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday, June 25, and 12:00pm to 4:30pm on Sunday, June 26. All are invited to enter this contest of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Prizes will be awarded.

9) Submit entries for the Adult and Children's Art and Photo contest at the Presbyterian Church yard on Thursday, June 30. The theme of the art display and competition is "Living in Ohio." Activities will continue there from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Friday, July 1.

Contact: Beverly Amstutz (419) 358-0334, Alice and Ron Lora (419) 358-1599, Dennis Morrison (419) 358-4950, or Wendy Chappell-Dick (419) 303-9769.