11/01/2022
Time Capsule buried for 50 years
The community turned out to watch as the City buried a time capsule to celebrate Roseburg’s sesquicentennial on Monday, Oct. 3 – with instructions that the capsule be opened 50 years from now to celebrate the town’s Bicentennial.
Mayor Larry Rich presided over the 9 a.m. Roseburg Sesquicentennial Time Capsule Ceremony to fill a custom-built time capsule on Roseburg’s 150th birthday. The capsule was designed by Paul Whitworth, owner of Whitworth Design, and built by Roseburg metal fabricator Bryson Steele, owner of Built By Steele.
About 50 City and County officials and staff, community organization representatives, journalists and local residents including Whitworth and Steele attended the ceremony, which was livestreamed via Facebook.
“Welcome to the Time Capsule Ceremony – a special time in Roseburg history as we celebrate our birthday today – 150 years old,” Rich told the crowd gathered outside City Hall.
“Right behind the group is where the hole is – that is where the time capsule will go,” Rich said. “You’ll notice there’s a sign on the lamppost that says the location of it…. And right here in front is the actual time capsule that we will be putting the items in and then sealing the box up.”
Rich introduced Steel and Whitworth, who recalled taking part in a school’s time capsule burial for the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976 that featured a coffee can when he was in fifth grade and living in another community.
“As far as I know, it’s still there….” Whitworth said. “When I got asked to be part of this project here, I kinda thought, ‘Coffee can is not going to really cut it.’ ”
Whitworth recruited Steele, an “amazing craftsman,” to fabricate the laser-cut stainless steel capsule, which was “TIG-welded” using tungsten inert gas and measured 24” by 16” by 16”. Steele also tested the capsule’s water-tightness by submerging the capsule in water for a day.
“If you look at this, it’s almost a shame that this is actually going in the ground because Bryson has done such an amazing job on this – it’s like a work of art, right here,” Whitworth said.
Whitworth also designed the raw steel marker that was cut by Bentley Welding in Roseburg. The marker is shaped like a cross-section slice of a tree, with curving lines of words representing tree rings, or time, to explain the capsule should be opened on Roseburg’s Bicentennial. The marker was designed to naturally age and patina over the years.
“We just really want to thank Bentley Welding for their work on the sign,” said City Manager Nikki Messenger.
Douglas County Historical Society Vice President Dale Greenley shared local history, including the 1851 arrival of a family led by Aaron Rose, who was instrumental in founding a settlement first known as Deer Creek and later named Roseburg in his honor.
The mayor later described the community artifacts and memorabilia as packages were placed into the capsule by Messenger and City Communications Specialist Suzanne Hurt, who managed the time capsule project. The contents were submitted by the City, County, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Roseburg Public Schools, Umpqua Community College, community organizations and businesses including Anvil Northwest, Umpqua Dairy and Abby’s Pizza.
Check out photos of the ceremony, the capsule’s contents and the list of contents on the City website.
Public Works Director Dawn Easley explained Street Superintendent Jim Johnson helped determine where to bury the capsule. The hole dug by Public Works employees John Wilder, Patrick Goodman and Ray Hall was 4 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 2 feet long. Johnson and Josh Cooney hung the sign. The time capsule was closed securely and buried with a utility locator device by Brad Stone, Goodman and Cooney.
“I can thank Parks and Rec, and Parks Maintenance, and all of Public Works for everything they do, day in and day out, for this community. They are truly awesome,” Easley said.
Watch the Roseburg Sesquicentennial Time Capsule Ceremony video: https://www.facebook.com/cityofroseburg/videos/1118130212401242/
