The Bluffton University Nature Preserve had its beginning with a study by the National Audubon Society done for Bluffton College in 1966 with a plan for a “Rural Life Center”.
Rather than creating a rural life center, the college decided to convert the college farm to a nature preserve, called the Swinging Bridge Nature Preserve. In the early years, the preserve had a director and did a lot of programming for area schools.
Pamphlet for the Nature Preserve in about 1970
Due to funding issues, the director position was eliminated and formal programming was reduced. However, the Preserve remained open.
