Bluffton’s history is
mostly unwritten
The public archives hold only 3 old photos of Bluffton. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗The village was founded in 1831 by Swiss Mennonites, German Reformists and Irish Catholics. It was originally named 'Crogan's Corners' after the postmaster. When the citizens chose to incorporate as a village, the Irish suggested the name 'Shannon' because of the green fields around the area. As there was already a village named Shannon in the state, the town was renamed Bluffton for the hilly terrain of the town site.
Bank robber John Dillinger robbed the Bluffton Bank (now known as Citizens National Bank of Bluffton) of $6,000 on August 14, 1933.
In 2011, Bluffton celebrated its 150th birthday with a series of town-wide events.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Timeline
built from the dates on the items belowStart Bluffton’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bluffton’s history is told.
1 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old viewLooking West from City Hall, 1909: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Bluffton
See all 16 →
Bluffton, decade by decade
1990s
Nothing in Bluffton is on the National Register yet
That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Bluffton has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Bridenbaugh District No. 3 Schoolhouse in Riley, 7.4 miles away.
Bluffton and the nearest listed places
Closest to Bluffton
How a place gets listed
Then & now
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as Looking West from City Hall (1909) and it appears here side by side.
🔁 Retake this view · +15Stories next door
nearby towns’ historyFrom Wikimedia Commons (6). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.