50 years ago, a man invited the nation to deposit whatever they liked into a large concrete tomb for what he called the creation of the “World’s largest time capsule.”
50 years later, as heirs, descendants, and children all grown up watched the large concrete vault crack open last week, they realized what a brilliant idea it was.
The items went on display last Friday in Seward, Nebraska, where Harold Davisson lived and created the time capsule. His daughter, Trish Davisson Johnson, was there as the master of ceremonies, carrying out her father’s vision for the grand opening.
Inside was a bewildering, yet understandable collection of objects. Stacks of letters and boxes, casette tapes made with personal recordings, pet rocks (which were all the rage back then), a groovy, teal, patterned suit, and even an entire yellow Chevy Vega wrapped in a plastic tarp.
People came from all around the country to collect or search for personal items left to them by themselves or their parents, from Virginia to Colorado.
“This is the culmination of 50 years of planning on the part of my father,” Johnson said. “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.”
NBC News’ Maya Eaglin was there reporting on the opening, when a large concrete pyramid, sealing over the capsule as if it were the sarcophagus of a pharaoh, was removed with a crane. The pyramid was added later when the world record agency informed Davisson the Seward time capsule was no longer the world’s largest.
“My parents didn’t think that they would be here 50 years later to retrieve it with us,” said Stephanie Fisher, who travelled from Colorado to retrieve a casette tape with a message from her mother.
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“So it’s pretty special to know that their voices [are] in there that I haven’t heard in a long time.”
Davisson executed the project well; building a ventilation system to prevent mold growth which went a long way towards preserving some items. His daughter suggests that probably 80% of everything put inside was retrievable and intact.
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Chris Galen, arriving from Virginia in a Johnny Quest t-shirt, recognized his mother’s handwriting, and opened a letter that wished him a happy education, career, and life.
“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
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