Bluffton's reputation for being a tennis town goes back to the late 1800s. This colorized picture post card proves it. The wording on the card reads "Tennis Courts, Bluffton, Ohio." The location of these courts was along East College Avenue where the Riley View Apartments are located today. (From the collection of Fred Steiner)
Today's Bluffton Hospital began as the Bluffton Sanatorium. The house was located on the northeast corner of Main and College, where the Bluffton Public Library stands today. In this colorized post card from 1908 Dr. J.J. Sutter stands on the sanatorium steps.
Here is Ruby Murray's first grade during the 1954-55 school year. These students are members of the Bluffton High School class of 1967. The photo was taken on the front steps of the "old " grade school. It was the final year that the old building was used. We see several familiar faces and hope that Michael Zimmerman takes it upon himself to provide us with a proper row-by-row identification. Leland Gerber was the photographer.
The Icon recently mentioned the foot X-ray machine in a Bluffton business. Here is Walter Gratz, owner of Gratz shoe store, Bluffton. The store eventually became Bazzy's Shoe Store. Most Bluffton residents 50 and older probably had their first pair of shoes purchased in the Gratz store.
Sometime back in the 1940s the Bluffton Sportsmen's Club members created squirrel houses. Can you believe that? We recognize several persons in this photo and invite Icon viewers to provide additional identification. We'll offer a couple ourselves. Front row, far left, Silas Diller. Top row, far left, Ralph Reichenbach. Bottom row, three men on far right, Nelson Herr, Jack Berry and Eugene Benroth.
