Bluffton, originally known as Shannon, is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

in Allen and Hancock counties in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. The population was 3,967 at the 2020 census. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated with

Mennonite Church USA The Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the United States. Although the organization is a recent 2002 merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, the body has roots in the Radi ...

. Bluffton is served by the Bluffton general aviation airport. Bluffton participates in the Tree City USA program. The Allen County portion of Bluffton is part of the Lima, Ohio metropolitan area, while the Hancock County portion is part of the Findlay Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Riley Creek flows through Bluffton.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 4,125 people, 1,428 households, and 913 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 1,522 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 95.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.6%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population. There were 1,428 households, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the village was 34 years. 19.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 21.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.2% were from 25 to 44; 20% were from 45 to 64; and 19% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 45.6% male and 54.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 3,896 people, 1,329 households, and 851 families living in the village. The population density was . There were 1,427 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 97.82%

, 0.77%

, 0.05% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population. There were 1,329 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were

living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.99. In the village, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 22.3% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 76.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.4 males. The median income for a household in the village was $43,208, and the median income for a family was $54,948. Males had a median income of $40,208 versus $21,563 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the village was $18,711. About 4.9% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Bluffton is located approximately halfway between

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

and Findlay in northwest Ohio along

Interstate 75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...

. Modern manufacturing in Bluffton includes the international firm Sumitomo Riko, a cooperative venture between Duramax and Tokai Rubber of Japan, that makes rubber components for the auto industry. GROB Systems, a division of the German company GROB Group, produces machining and automation systems at its plant in Bluffton. The downtown area is anchored by the 19th century

town hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

and includes a local

farmers market A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...

on Saturday mornings from May through October. With an average of 20 vendors, shoppers can choose from local foods and produce, as well as potted herbs, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees. Ten Thousand Villages is a fair-trade retailer that was founded in Bluffton. The shop sells products made by artisans in developing countries.

Education

Elementary and secondary

Bluffton High School sports participate in the

Northwest Conference The Northwest Conference (NWC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in the states of Oregon and Washington. It was known as the Pacific Northwest Conference from 1926 t ...

, an athletic body sanctioned by the

Ohio High School Athletic Association The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of comp ...

(OHSAA) which includes the Ada Bulldogs, Allen East Mustangs, Bluffton Pirates, Columbus Grove Bulldogs, Convoy Crestview Knights, Delphos Jefferson Wildcats, Lincolnview Lancers, Paulding Panthers, and Spencerville Bearcats.

Higher education

Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated with the

Media

WBWH-LP (96.1 FM) serves the Bluffton community as its only full-time radio station.

Notable people

* Trevor Bassitt, American sprinter and 2024 Paris Olympics competitor. * Tommy Boutwell, American football player * Tobias Buckell, science fiction writer * Larry Cox, Major League baseball player * D. Michael Crites, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio * James McIntire, Washington state treasurer * John Travis, doctor and pioneer in the Wellness movement

References

External links

* {{authority control Villages in Allen County, Ohio Villages in Hancock County, Ohio Populated places established in 1831 1831 establishments in Ohio Villages in Ohio