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Need a Frigidaire, or a Maytag washing machine? Stop in at E.M. Kennel, dealer, at 108 S. Main St., Bluffton. This advertisement is from the 1932 Bluffton High School yearbook.

The address of this business is now part of the Citizens National Bank block. Think of it this way, Edward Jones is 107 N. Main. The Maytag dealer would have been located right across the street.

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Here is a Bluffton business advertisement from the 1933-34 Bluffton High School yearbook. The yearbook was called the "Annual Leaves" and was not yet the "Buccanneer."

The advertiser was D.C. and Gordon Bixel, O.D., optometrists. Their business was on the second floor of the Citizens National Bank building. Telephone number: 364-W.

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Here's photos of business owners in neighoring Ada in 1902. 

Ada business people, top row from left,  Cylde Sharp, cashier, First National Bank; Louis Greer, shoes; Jos. August, variety store; Cliff F. Landon, druggist; Ray Sharp, millinery.

Second row from left, O.S. Melhorn, grocery, Wm. McCafferty, meat market; Louis Brewer, grain and implements; M.S. King, bargain store; John Young, druggist.

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There's several things we know about this photo - and several unknowns. The photo was taken as a black and white snapshot in February 1958 in front of the Orange Township garage. It's a group of fox hunters with three foxes.

What we lack is an identification of the hunters. We've enlarged the photo as much as possible without losing a viewable image.

We invite Icon viewers to take a stab at naming these men.

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Here's a photo by Leland Gerber from the 1961 Bluffton centennial pageant. It portrays a Methodist circuit rider visiting the home of the first Methodist family, the Gatskills,  in Shannon.

From left are Evelyn Steiner, Rev. James Kuhn (Bluffton Methodist pastor at the time, playing the role of circuit rider), James Szabo and Barb Eastman.

 

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A name that is fading from the Bluffton vernacular is "Gratz Crossing." It is where the Dixie Highway crosses the Norfolk Southern Railway track where it connects to Phillips Road south of Bluffton.

This photo shows the Lake Erie and Western Railroad track from "Gratz Crossing." On the far right is the Western Ohio Railroad (interurban) These two track were side by side  at this point. This view looks toward Lima to the south. The photographer was S.A. Amstutz. This is a glass plate negative.

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