In 1975, a small Nebraska town created the world's largest time capsule. Reopening it was wild.
The relics found inside, including pet rocks, were groovy.
Old photographs in a box as time passes.
Time capsules are just cool, no matter how you slice them. The term, officially coined at the 1939 New York World's Fair, has been around for centuries. According to Evan Andrews's piece on History.com, "The world’s first planned time capsule debuted in 1876 when New York Magazine publisher Anna Deihm assembled a 'Century Safe' at the U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia."
Exactly 100 years later, it was opened. Andrews shares, "At a ceremony attended by President Gerald Ford, Senator Mike Mansfield said the opening had honored 'the wish of a lady who sought to speak to us from the other side of a 100-year gulf.'"
Just recently, in a small town in Nebraska, a time capsule from half a century ago was unearthed. NBC News writer Maya Eaglin reports, "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."
-Nebraska Now www.youtube.com
She adds, "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."
The letters are still being sorted, though one person, the article relays, was able to find a very special relic he snuck in. "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."
This all begs the question: if you were filling a capsule of time of your own (other than, say, your kitchen junk drawer), what would you put in it? Redditors jumped to answer the question “What would you put in your 2025 time capsule?” just a couple of weeks ago.
The replies ranged from thoughtful and serious to downright hilarious. One person joked, "Someone with their phone on speaker, holding it at arm’s length and yelling in the general direction of it." Another, mocking chemicals found in fruits and vegetables, suggested, "Any of the supermarket fruit and veg I buy seems to not ever go off these days. I’m unsure what they now do to them, but I’d be intrigued to know if they remain edible in 50 years' time."
A brown and blue hourglass sits on stones. Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash
Though a few took the question to heart and gave earnest suggestions:
- "A newspaper"
- "A cinema or theatre ticket"
- "TV guide"
- "An unused games console and games"
- "A book of stamps (if you’re a millionaire)"
- "A favourite recipe"
- "A USB with a video of you talking about you/your life/life in 2025"