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75 years after receiving their high school diplomas

Where were you in 1935? These six Bluffton High School alumni were receiving their high school diplomas. This summer they celebrated a major milestone - their 75th high school class reunion. The reunion was at Mennonite Memorial Home.

Members of the class of 1935 attending the reunion are, from left, Vera (Gratz) Core, Bluffton; Edna (Erwin) Schick, Bluffton; Marie (Schnegg) Place, Bluffton; Kathleen (Stauffer) Mikkelsen, Bluffton; Marquerite (Long) Dome, Lima; and Merlin Zimmerly, Lima.

Rain forest postage stamp released this month

Hawaiian rain forest stamp available in August at Bluffton post office

The Hawaiian rain forest is coming to the Bluffton post office in August.

Featuring a Hawaiian rain forest, the 2010 Nature of America issuance is the 12th stamp pane in an educational series focusing on the beauty and complexity of major plant and animal communities in the United States.

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1896 village storage basins bite the dust

A bit of Bluffton history is disappearing this week. Demolition of original 1896 drinking water storage basins at 111 Triplett Drive (north of Steinmetz soccer field) is being razed.

The following information from Nathan Jordan: Rebar in walls was large diameter and closely nested, as one would expect to see. Rebar in roof (now resting on the bottom) was narrow, as if drawn through a die-like wire or cable. Reportedly, the poured roof sections were added somewhere around the 1940s.

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What's so special about "76"?

Was ZF born in 1976? If so, who is ZF? Viewers' thoughts are welcome.

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Bluffton Library to celebrate 75 years of service

Bluffton Public Library is busy making plans to celebrate its 75th anniversary during the month of September. "This is a significant milestone to celebrate, though a challenging one to plan, with the loss of nearly 30 percent in state funding last year and further cuts this year," library director Cindi Chasse said.

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Bluffton's Woodcock power plant

Click on photo to enlarge.

Here's a remarkable photo of a once-thriving business in Bluffton: The Woodcock power plant. For residents of Bluffton since 1983 or so, this plant was located on the site of John's Body Shop, Lake Street. This photo was taken in the early 1950s.

There are several things to notice. First, count the railroad coal cars on the AC&Y Railroad siding. The plant was fueled by coal and that may be a one or two-day's worth of fuel sitting there.

Notice how clean (absence of trees and brush) are the banks of the National Quarry.

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