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When we were cool: 1948 basketball fundraiser
At the February 11, 2026 meeting of the Bluffton Historical Society, members joked about wanting to be cool, hip and edgy. Again. Sounds like a reminder to check out the Bluffton Forever treasure trove of cool happenings, including the days when the Bluffton Sportsmen took on the Buckeye Coaches in a 1948 fundraiser benefit basketball game. Tickets were just 50 cents and players wore short shorts. At the next meeting on Wednesday, March 11, members will vote on modification
Feb 12
Time to renew with BOHS!
Bluffton Ohio Historical Society 2026 Membership Renewal Thank you to all who support the mission of the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society! Your membership helps us preserve and share Bluffton’s history. Please renew for 2026 by completing the form in our pamphlet or online HERE by the end of February. Please share the attached pamphlet with a friend to help our 2026 goal of boosting membership to over 100. See you at our 2026 events: Bluffton History Show ’n Tells - communit
Jan 29
First BOHS meeting of 2026
Join Bluffton Ohio Historical Society members and local history enthusiasts at the Wednesday, January 14 meeting at the 1899 Depot at Buckeye Lake. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. President Ron Epp limits business discussions to one hour, followed by show and tell. Members have received minutes and financials by email. Join us to find out what's in the works for 2026! Below: A colorized photo of workers at the Arras Cream Separator factory, now the location of the Et Cetera Shop
Jan 13
December 10 BOHS social & business meeting
Dear Fellow Bluffton Historians, Please join us for a festive evening on Wednesday at The Depot at 7:00 p.m. for our regularly scheduled monthly Bluffton Ohio Historical Society meeting. There will be just a few items of business, then we'll have a social time to visit with one another. As discussed at our last meeting, feel free to bring a snack or dessert item to share. And of course, if it's an old Bluffton recipe and you can share who it's from, you'll earn bonus points!
Dec 8, 2025
The life of my small town changed forever when the railroad arrived
Fred Steiner, formerly of Bluffton and now of Cincinnati [and the founder of the Bluffton Icon and Ada Icon], presented a program in early November 2025 in a club member meeting held in the Cincinnati Union Terminal. Steiner has presented the program several times; it is now available on YouTube . The presentation titled “The life of my small town changed forever when the railroad arrived” is a narrative of the three railroads that once passed through Bluffton. Those include
Dec 4, 2025
Decorate the Depot with BOHS
The December 10 meeting of the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society will include a holiday decorating bee with potluck refreshments. Join us at 7:00 p.m. at the 1899 Depot at Buckeye Lake, a.k.a. the Bluffton Sportsmen's Club. The photo featured here is of jeweler N.C. Herr standing outside his shop at the corner of Main St. and Cherry in downtown Bluffton (currently the Twisted Whisk Cafe). This hand colored photo enlargement was displayed in the Cardinal Room at what is now Cha
Nov 18, 2025
A Bluffton chronology from 1961
In 1961, Bluffton was celebrating its centennial and Paul Diller created this chronology beginning in 1831 for the location of his funeral home: Gobel homestead, Gobel General Store, home of D.L. Gobel, first postmaster of Shannon Crogan's Corner, Judge Eaton Homestead, Eat on Grove, D.S. Flick residence, Iron Lantern Inn, Paul Diller Funeral Home. Now that's a "Bluffton Shuffle!" Special thanks to Jim Diller for the photo.
Nov 10, 2025
November 12 BOHS Meeting
Dear Friends of Bluffton History, November's monthly meeting of the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society will be Wednesday evening, November 12 at 7:00 PM at The Depot in Buckeye Park. Members have been emailed October meeting Minutes, and the current Financial and Membership Reports for their review prior to the meeting. Thank you for your continued support of the BOHS! Hoping to see you on Wednesday night, Scott Little, BOHS Secretary JOIN AT https://www.blufftonforever.com/abo
Nov 10, 2025