Historical Bluffton

Tine McGriff and Forest Mumma had over 100 customers

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

What might you find if you stepped into a Bluffton barbershop at the turn of an earlier century?

Thanks to a recently discovered photo of the Tine McGriff Barbershop on Bluffton’s Main Street in 1903, several photo enlargements provide an excellent look inside this business of 120 years ago. The closer you look, the more things you see.

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Remember Sputnik? Only if you were alive in October 1957.

Three stories in the Bluffton News that year reveal local fascination and questions about this first-ever successful artificial satellite.

Grave robbers were apparently seeking a valuable ring

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Grave robbers in LaFayette?

It occurred in October of 1938 and became headlines in many Ohio newspapers. This tale involves the grave in the LaFayette Cemetery of Tully Rumbaugh, a pioneer in the village who was born Aug. 6, 1875, and died Jan. 17, 1896.

One LaFayette story claimed that Rumbaugh, only 21 when he died, was buried with an expensive diamond ring. No one knows when or how that story took its roots. But, even in 1938, 42 years following his death, the story continued to spread.

The appraisal of the ring was simply described as “valuable.” Apparently, three young boys, or young men, overheard the Rumbaugh ring story being told in a LaFayette pool hall. Soon after hearing the story, but not knowing the exact location of the grave, the three took digging tools and matches and headed for the cemetery.

There they found the Rumbaugh grave. The story continues that they dug at the gravesite and after a few hours reached the top of the decayed coffin. In their exciting and no doubt frightening search of the corpse, they found a ring and took it.

Click HERE for the rest of the story.

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Imagine a hot air balloon ascension in Bluffton years before the Wright brothers flew the first airplane.

Imagine Bluffton’s first-ever automobile to hit a speed of 50 miles per hour–114 years ago–as an enormous crowd watched in awe.

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Six early Bluffton postmasters sat for this Will Triplett photograph in the 1930s.

This impressive group of men represent 66 years of postal service to the Bluffton community. During their eras, the post office was originally located in the town hall, then in early 1900 moved to Vine Street and later to the building housing Roots by Stratton's. Then, in the early 1940s the present post office building was constructed.

Unusual snapshot reveals a forgotten Bluffton of 100 to 125 years ago

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Yes, this is a Bluffton street intersection. But, where? Only one clue reveals the location. A street sign on the right side of the intersection reads “GROVE ST.” A second street sign on the pole next to the Grove Street sign, not readable however, identifies what is today’s Kibler Street

A handwritten sentence on the photo’s back side confirms the location. It reads: Bentley Road and Grove Street Bluffton, Ohio – looking into Kibler Street.

Below the handwriting it is a stamped “Neu-Art Studio, photographers, Bluffton, Ohio.”

This photograph came from Paul Klassen, one of Bluffton’s oldest residents, today in his ninth decade.

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