Bluffton was founded in 1838 and was incorporated in 1851, when its population was about 850 persons. In its early years it was a primitive, backwoods village, subject to frequent floods of the Wabash and outbreaks of malaria. The advent of the railroad in 1869, guaranteeing access to distant markets for its numerous wood-products, brought prosperity to the town, while ditching of the numerous swamps in the vcinity reduced the hazards of floods and malaria. The 1890s witnesses the construction of the town's distinctive downtown Victorian architecture. In past years, pianos, windmills, furniture, shoes, radios, gloves, washing machines, and television tubes were important local products. Today, high-tech industries are increasingly significant locally.