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Was Wilford Geiger your teacher?

Posted by Staff on May 1, 2022 - 6:54am

By Fred Steiner, BlufftonForever.com

If you attended Bluffton High School in the late 1950s or 1960s and took chemistry or driver’s education, Wilford Geiger was your teacher.

And, here’s an opportunity to see Mr. Geiger as a toddler.

With every hair in place, these three Geiger children pose for a portrait in 1912.

The three, from left, are Beulah Geiger Gooding, Wilford O. Geiger and Estella Geiger Pugh.

Section: 
Historical Bluffton
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What's the story of our post office mural?

Posted by Staff on April 24, 2022 - 5:47am

By Fred Steiner, www.blufftonforever.com

Have you ever stood in line for stamps at the Bluffton post office and wondered why there is a mural on the lobby’s north wall?

Who was the artist and what does the mural portray?

And, who paid for the mural?

Here’s the answer:

Section: 
Historical Bluffton
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May snowfalls in 1923 and 1883

Posted by Paula Scott on April 19, 2022 - 7:53am

Two hours spent on a snowy I-75 had the Icon editor feeling pretty sorry for herself on April 18, 2022. But this Bluffton News excerpt from Fred Steiner at www.BlufftonForever.com is a topper's club story to beat our 1.3 inches of snow that quickly melted. 

May snow storm

Wednesday morning

A winter snowstorm on a small scale swept over town for several hours Wednesday morning. The snow flurries were accompanied by rain and colder weather.

Section: 
Historical Bluffton
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1937 earthquake shook Ohio

Posted by Staff on April 17, 2022 - 6:40am

By Fred Steiner, www.blufftonforever.com

Eighty-three years ago this spring–the year was 1937–Bluffton residents felt the tremors of Ohio’s most severe earthquake. The following story is from the March 11, 1937, Bluffton News. Below the story is a summary of the earthquake, centered in Anna, where its school building was condemned and torn down.

From March 11, 1937, Bluffton News

Headline:

Bluffton is shaken by quake tremor

Shock Tuesday 

Is more severe

Section: 
Historical Bluffton
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Bluffton glue factory had a reputation of being scary

Bluffton mysterious place series
Posted by Staff on April 10, 2022 - 6:00am

By Fred Steiner, www.BlufftonForever.com

In the early 1920s a Bluffton business on Spring Street served as a depository for dead and dying livestock. Providing an important service for farmers, it was a shipping point to a Kalida glue factory. Even though the Bluffton business wasn’t a glue factory, people referred to it that way, since it was the collection point for the factory. Some animal parts contain collagen, historically used in making glue, from hooves and bones of horses, mules and cattle. The need for collagen to produce glue created a demand for dead livestock.

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Historical Bluffton
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Roscoe Evans - famous from Bluffton

Posted by Staff on April 3, 2022 - 5:47am

By Fred Steiner, www.blufftonforever.com

Roscoe Evans, who helped construct and then for 23 years was in charge of maintenance on the world’s largest pipe organ, located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The website www.blufftonforever.com offers additional details, photos and links to the famous organ. This story was originally published in the Oct. 14, 1937, Bluffton News.

Maintenance man and caretaker of the world’s largest organ, which requires a building 10 stories high to house its 33,056 pipes is the job of Roscoe Evans, formerly of Bluffton, who was here visiting old friends during the past week.

The former Bluffton man an expert on organ construction has been responsible for the care and tuning of the great organ in the Atlantic City Convention hall since it was completed four years ago.

Section: 
Historical Bluffton
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