'World's largest' time capsule opened in Nebraska 50 years later

Yahoo

08-07-2025

SEWARD, Neb. — Treasures from 1975, sealed inside what the World Record Academy once called the 'world's largest time capsule,' went on display Friday, drawing hundreds of people from across the country to catch a glimpse of relics from the past.
Thousands of letters, pet rocks, artwork, a groovy teal suit and even a yellow Chevy Vega had been preserved inside the capsule — a portal to another era — for half a century.
'This is the culmination of 50 years of planning on the part of my father,' Trish Davisson Johnson said.
'My father, Harold Davisson, wanted to wait for his grandchildren to remember life in 1975. He was a big proponent of life. He did everything big,' she told NBC News.
Back then, sealing the items was a logistical feat. Fisher said her father created a ventilation system to keep moisture out.
In 1983, after they learned they had lost the world record from the World Record Academy, the family added a pyramid atop the capsule to recapture the title.
'There were packages from, I'm going to say, 3,000 people, letters and packages, letters to themselves, letters to the grandchildren, letters to their heirs,' Davisson said.
Inside, some items fared better than others.
'A lot of the other packages that were wrapped in plastic have come out very, very well, but we have a layer of mold-type items on the outside of all the paper and cardboard. But again, I would say about 80% of the people are going to be able to get their items back, and 20% are going to be disappointed,' Davisson said.
Stephanie Fisher traveled from Colorado with her parents to retrieve their artifact, a cassette tape that contains voice messages from members of her family.
'My parents didn't think that they would be here 50 years later to retrieve it with us. So it's pretty special to know that their voices [are] in there that I haven't heard in a long time,' Fisher said, filled with emotion.
Chris Galen made the journey from Virginia.
'I made a mental note that in 50 years if I was still alive — because I'd be in my 60s then — I would want to come back here and be part of the opening,' he said.
Despite the thousands of letters that need to be sorted, Galen was able to find one from his mother.
'I hope you had a good education, a happy and successful life, rich in many ways,' he read from the letter.
'I'm hoping as she's looking down on us from somewhere that I can report back to her that a lot of the things she wanted for me and for my brother came true,' Galen said.
Clark Kolterman, who was there in 1975, put his wedding invitation in the capsule.
'I can't believe they found it,' he said, surrounded by his children.
'I have to thank Mr. Davisson for his insight. And you know, his idea wasn't perfect, but it worked, and as a result it's been very successful,' Kolterman said.
Trish said that she believes her father would be very proud of Friday's celebration and that she has learned a lot in the 50 years since the capsule was sealed.
'Life is too short. You're going to hit an age where you want more time and you know you don't have it,' she said.
She said she plans to create a permanent display for the capsule to help future generations remember 1975.
Galen said the message goes deeper than artifacts.
'It's not about what's inside of it. It's about what's inside of us and who we were back in '75 and who we are today,' he said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com