Here's another Will Triplett photo. It shows a tile factory in Beaverdam, which makes this a rather rare photo because we've not seen many turn-of- the century photos from Beaverdam. The persons in the photo and the exact location of factory is not provided. The photo was taken cira 1900.
Reprint by Trish Triplett. Provided to The Icon by Roger Triplett
You are looking at a photo by Will Triplett taken in Bluffton in 1895. The bridge crosses the Riley on Main Street, yet the note taken by Photographer Triplett read "Bridge on Indian Trail." This confirms the story that Main Street was in fact originally a trail of Native Americans.
Other information written about this photo follows - Back of the framed photo is handwritten: Photography by Will A. Triplett approx. 1900 (reprinted by Tish Triplett 1990)
Just when we think we've seen every old photo of the Bluffton-Pandora Swiss community a new "old" one comes into view. Chris Collins provided this photo to The Icon.
Viewers need to understand that the county school houses between Bluffton and Pandora sometimes had as many as three names. First, the school house had a number, next the school house often carried the name of the farm where the building was located. Finally, unique to this community, schools were named after trees planted in their lawn.
If you love local history and old maps, this feature should keep you busy for weeks. Here is a plot map of Richland Township from the 1870s. The Icon dates this based on the placement of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad, which was laid in 1872. It is provided to The Icon by Chris Collins.
