Bluffton

History

The first non-Native American settlers arrived in what is now Bluffton in 1835. They arrived as a result of the end of the Black Hawk War as well as the completion of the Erie Canal. They consisted entirely of settlers from New England. These were "Yankee" settlers, that is to say they were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church though due to the Second Great Awakening many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before coming to what is now Bluffton. The Congregational Church subsequently has gone through many divisions and some factions are now known as the Church of Christ and Church of God. When the New England settlers arrived in what is now Bluffton there was nothing but a dense virgin forest and wild prairie. Bluffton was platted in 1838, it was named for river bluffs near the original town site. The Bluffton post office has been in operation since 1839. In its early years it was a primitive, backwoods village, subject to frequent floods of the Wabash and outbreaks of malaria. Wells Country was organized in 1837 and shortly thereafter four commissioners were appointed to choose the county seat. The contestants for the county seat of government were Bluffton, Vera Cruz and Murray, but it was later narrowed to just two, Bluffton and Murray. The four commissioners struggled to determine the location of the county seat at first, but on March 5, 1838, Bluffton was named the county seat after their final vote. Mr. Abraham Studabaker and Robert C. Bennet, both landowners in Bluffton, set aside land for a county courthouse and donated US$270 (). On March 9, 1838, the commissioners chose the site for the county courthouse which used the land donated…

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Bluffton has a total area of , of which (or 98.46%) is land and (or 1.54%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Norwell High School
  High · Ossian · 788 students · 20.2:1 ratio
• Bluffton-Harrison Elementary Sch
  Elementary · Bluffton · 747 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Bluffton-Harrison Middle School
  Middle · Bluffton · 588 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• Ossian Elementary
  Elementary · Ossian · 566 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• Norwell Middle School
  Middle · Ossian · 566 students · 14.5:1 ratio
• Lancaster Central School
  Elementary · Bluffton · 544 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Bluffton High School
  High · Bluffton · 468 students · 12.6:1 ratio