RESS COLUMBUS — It was like waiting for a birthday present!
Hordes of people gathered last Friday for the unearthing of a time capsule buried 50 years on the northeast side of the Colorado County Courthouse lawn. Gathered in a circle under the live oak trees, the crowd watched while the coun- ty and city workers dug to find the bur -ied treasure.
In May of 1973, the sixth-grade class of Columbus Elementary petitioned the Colorado County Commissioners Court to fill and plant a time capsule to com memorate the sesquicentennial of Columbus. It was set to stay for 50 years and to be opened in the year of the bicentennial, 2023. The crowds buzzed with anticipation about what would be in the box. Then, as they dug, dug, and dug, all began to wonder if anything was buried there. Finally, after about an hour of wonder, questioning, repositioning and even a backhoe, the box was final ly found about six feet deep and a little off from where everyone thought and brought the time capsule to the surface.
Spectators who were left followed behind the time capsule, which was driven on a police truck to the Stafford Opera House to be unsealed.
The contributing 1973 sixth-grade class members who were present on Friday were given the honor of opening the lid and revealing each item placed there.
The note on the lid read, “This metal container will be used to hold all of our articles. It had been for many years out in the old Agriculture Building. Johnny Toliver, James Jones, Lane Carter and Winston Nelson painted it red. On May 25, we will take the box filed to the In vader Boat Company in La Grange for sealing in acrylic and fiberglass. This will waterproof it and protect it from being destroyed while it is buried the 50 years.”
The intense drama from not knowing if the time capsule was still buried, the long wait time for the deep-well digging and the walk back to the Stafford Opera House in Columbus faded away as the time neared to open the capsule and rediscover what was buried so long ago.
Like kids opening presents, the 1973 sixth graders picked each item wrapped in plastic and presented them to the onlooking crowd.
The contents discovered represent a time-gone-by for Columbus Elementary and Columbus, Texas. Magazines reading Four More Years reminded everyone of the Nixon era. Newspapers declaring the launch of SkyLab nestled among the countless treasures of memories.
The memorabilia will be displayed at the Stafford Opera House in Columbus during regular business hours until further notice.
