By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Except for a couple of children in the room, the audience was keenly aware that the time capsule being sealed in the wall would be opened without them.
But this place is all about preserving the past for future generations – so the time capsule ceremony was no different.
“When we’re all gone, it’s the objects we’ve left behind that tell the story,” said Holly Hartlerode, curator of the Wood County Historical Center.
The audience on Saturday at the historical center got one last look at the items that will stay sealed until 2075 in a time capsule. Some items reflect the times – Kindles, cell phones and computer parts. Others tell personal stories – a nesting egg, barbershop music cassette tape and a ticket to a Horizon Youth Theatre performance.
“It’s a great way to link ourselves to the future, the way we look back and find we are linked to the past,” said Michael Penrod, president of the Wood County Historical Society Board.
Penrod likened the time capsule to the buried treasure in his favorite adventure movie, “Indiana Jones.” Except this treasure will be sealed up in a wall in the historical museum.
“We opened up a lot of walls during the last year,” with all the renovations at the museum, so the timing was perfect, he said.
Penrod, who is director of the Wood County District Public Library, donated an out-of-date Kindle from the library. He predicted that when the time capsule is opened in 2075, people will comment, “Oh, those librarians back then – they were so quaint.”
Others also wanted future generations to get glimpses of our current technology.
Edie Olds donated an old cell phone. When she first got it years ago, she thought it was so cool. “Now I wish we could bury all of them,” she said.
Crowd listens to talk about time capsule on Saturday afternoon.
George Stossel donated some bits of obsolete computer technology – but not the early pieces that were the size of a dishwasher, he said.
Other items for the time capsule were of a more personal nature. They will be accompanied with notes describing their significance.
Dana Nemeth, director of the historical center, donated a toy space shuttle from 2010 – minus a wheel or so from use. She told of growing up being in awe of the nation’s space program, and of family visits to the space center. The toy represented American ingenuity, national pride and happy memories with her family.
Nancy Buchanan donated a cassette tape of the Sweet Adelines group. “I’m hoping the harmony of barbershop music will continue to grow over to the next century,” she said.
The Hagemeyer family, who lived near the museum when it was used as an infirmary for the county’s poor, sick and old, donated a nesting egg. The family sold crates for eggs to the infirmary. The nesting egg was put in the chicken coop to encourage the hens to lay eggs.
Retired Bowling Green jeweler Jon Klever donated a jewelry cutting tool originally used by his father, Alex Klever.
Dr. William Feeman, a Bowling Green physician who traveled to New York City to help after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, donated some memorabilia from his service there.
Other items included some handmade Native American jewelry from Fawn Crawfoot, a ticket stub from a Horizon Youth Theatre performance from Elizabeth Roberts-Zibbel, and digital copies of local history books written by Gary Franks. Joy Hobson, of the Friends of Girl Scouts, donated a signature frog from the organization.
Local government officials also got involved, with Wood County commissioners Doris Herringshaw and Joel Kuhlman donating a Wood County flag postcard and lapel pin to the time capsule.
“We can look at our past to gain knowledge of our future,” Herringshaw said.
