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Take a walk up north Main in November 1969

Posted by Fred Steiner on November 9, 2015 - 5:04pm

It's Nov. 22, 1969, in downtown Bluffton. Main Street businesses are in the midst of the most major makeover in the town's history. Awnings are being added to businesses.

The businesses in this photo are, from left, Rice's Tot Shop, Bluffton News, Bruce Shelly Nationwide, Dr. Allan Yoder, optometrist, and Greding Hardware.

Interesting to note that after 46 years there's still a newspaper, insurance office, optometrist and hardware in those businesses.

Dick Boehr took this photo. Notice the steps at the Tot Shop (today Bluffton News).

 

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Historical Bluffton
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It was 1966 and something big was happening on Main Street

Posted by Fred Steiner on November 2, 2015 - 5:11pm

This photo is worth ten thousand words.

The month and year is August 1966. The photographer is Dick Boehr. 

Q: What's taking place in this scene?
A: The Ream family Community Market, 128 N. Main St., (on the left) has closed and Steiner and Huser Men's Clothier, 126 N. Main St., (on the right) has relocated to South Main - the current location of The Food Store.

In place of both businesses is an expanded Balmer's women's clothing store. This business eventually became Uhlman's women's clothing store. Then it became Greg's Pharmacy.

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Historical Bluffton
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A walk downtown in 1967

Posted by Fred Steiner on October 26, 2015 - 11:49am

For viewers who don't have a look back memory to 1967, this is a very unfamiliar Bluffton  scene.

It is, in fact, South Main Street, Bluffton.  Dick Boehr took the photo on Sept. 1, 1968.

Here's the view:

• Far right, Citizens National Bank in a remodeling phase (not the current brick one, but one prior to it).

• Center, Millager's Pharmacy. Millager's eventually became the site of CNB expansion.

• Far left, West Ohio Gas Company. It, too, eventually became the site of CNB expansion.

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Historical Bluffton
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The year is 1973 - where's the location?

Posted by Fred Steiner on October 19, 2015 - 11:38am

Here's another view of Bluffton you've not seen in over 40 years. Can you identify the location of these two houses?

The give-away is the Standard Oil station on the far right. It stands on the corner of Main and Jefferson.

The two house eventually became the Lawson's store, now part of Stratton Auto Group.

Dick Boehr took this photo on Feb. 17, 1973.

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Historical Bluffton
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1890s photo of Bluffton women

Posted by Fred Steiner on October 12, 2015 - 5:24pm

This is the earliest photo of a group of Bluffton women we've ever viewed. The best part is that every woman is listed - however - the listing is by their married name. (Except for two single women).

And, while we have all their names, we aren't certain of who is who, because the names are not row by row.

The names suggest these are wives of businessmen in Bluffton.

Here's the list, as it is hand written on the back of the photo, from top to bottom. Perhaps they are listed in order, but we don't know if the order starts on the front row or the back row.

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Historical Bluffton
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Bluffton assisting in 1976 WBGU telethon

Posted by Fred Steiner on October 3, 2015 - 2:51pm

In 1976 the Bluffton Business Men's Association participated in one of the WBGU TV telethons. The BBMA eventually became the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dick Boehr, president of the association at the time, gathered a group of Bluffton volunteers to "man the phones" during the event.

This photo was taken on March 11, 1976, in the WBGU TV studio. A note on the back of the photo indicates Bluffton raised $770 during its time working the phones.

Persons in the photo, from left in front, Dick Boehr and Ron Geiser.

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Historical Bluffton
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