2 days ago
Time capsule buried by Chamber of Commerce, to be opened in 50 years
Where will we be in 50 years?
That's the question that was asked at the ceremonial burial of a time capsule on the grounds of the Somerset Energy Center.
The capsule was dedicated at the conclusion of Tuesday's Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce 100th anniversary luncheon, with the various attendees and past Chamber presidents migrating over from the building where the lunch was held — the Lake Cumberland Farmers Market facility at Citizens National Bank Pavilion — to the parking lot of the city administration building.
The time capsule was made for the Chamber by local business Limestone Manufacturing and contained a number of items Clue solicited from businesses around the community, intended to give a snapshot of Somerset and Pulaski County as it is today. The capsule is scheduled to be opened in 50 years' time, for those alive and serving at that point to be able to reflect on what will then be the history of this community.
The key to open it "is going to sit in the Chamber office — and hopefully the Chamber will still be around in 50 years," said Bobby Clue, the Chamber's executive director. "But more than anything, we're ... going to have Limestone Manufacturing build a really nice nameplate that we're going to put over (where the capsule is buried) once the grass grows back. ... It will essentially say some of the same language that's on the top (of the capsule), about opening this up in 2075. So that will be there as a constant reminder for people who walk by, hopefully for the next 50 years."
So what was in the time capsule? For one thing, an image of the June Somernites Cruise stunt car jump over the Fountain Square with a note saying, "Yes, this really happened."
Additionally, "a lot of the banks wanted to put unique things in there," said Clue. "I know First & Farmers put a penny in there, a brand new 2025 penny, because we've talked about eliminating the penny; who knows if that will even be with us (in the future)? ... A lot of different people have put fun, memorable things in this time capsule that hopefully will catch everybody's attention in 50 years."
Food and beverages were among those things. Horse Soldier Bourbon included a special bottle of their product, and Clue said his addition was a McDonald's hamburger, to go along with a Twinkie, a product known for its temporal durability.
"We've heard that Twinkies are indestructible; we'll see," said Clue. He also wanted to see how the hamburger would hold up over time; "We bought one, we put in in a Ziploc bag, and we'll see what it looks like in 50 years."
Taking a picture of the time capsule
District Court Judge B.J. Hardy takes a photo of a time capsule at the Somerset Energy Center before it's officially buried and covered over with dirt at Tuesday's dedication ceremony.
The time capsule is made of coated aluminum, and is three feet long, 13 inches wide.
Somerset Mayor Alan Keck spoke at the time capsule's dedication, while John Alexander represented Judge-Executive Marshall Todd in Alexander's role as Todd's executive assistant.
"I've never really gotten in the headspace of thinking about what somebody will read 50 years from today, and it's a little odd for me to ... issue a challenge to a group of people I respect so much," said Keck to the past presidents. "You all led in our community, some of you ... before I was even in existence. A lot of you led when I was a kid. You're people I looked up to and still do, but I would ask that you think about what you want this place to look like in 50 years.
"If you were writing a letter to Somerset and Pulaski County, what would it say?" he added. "What would you want them to look back and think about us and the work that we've done? And for me personally, it changed how I want to go about some things over the next weeks, months and years. ... I think that when they open this up in 50 years, hopefully what they see will will reflect that collaboration, that unity, that spirit (that local leaders display)."
Said Alexander, "Look how far we've come in 100 years. Look how far we've come in just the past few years. I look over there and I can see it from here, the Virginia Theater is standing and open for business. I didn't think that was possible a few years ago. What are we going to be in 50 years? What are we going to be in the next 10 years, much less 50?"
Tiffany Finley, one of the past Chamber presidents in attendance, was pleased to be on hand for the capsule's dedication.
"It's wild to stand here and look at this capsule and know that in 50 years, I won't be here, or I'll be 95 at that point and who knows where I'll be, but it's just kind of special and it puts into perspective that our time here is short, and we need to do as much as we can for our community while we're here," she said.
This time capsule won't be the only one being opened around that point in the future. Behind the Pulaski County Courthouse is a "time vault" place on November 11, 1976 to celebrate the nation's bicentennial, set to be opened 100 years from that point — 2076, one year after the newest capsule. The 1976 one was placed by the Somerset Woman's Club and the Pulaski County Bicentennial Commission.
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