CAMBRIDGE
— Inspired by the time capsule that was sealed 50 years ago and opened with
great fanfare in September during the 350th Anniversary Celebration in
September, the Heritage Area and 350th Anniversary Committee are continuing the
tradition. They have been busy collecting and curating bits of history from
organizations throughout Dorchester County, for inclusion in a capsule —
actually, the same one used in 1969 — that will be opened in 2069.
More
than 100 items that tell the story of Dorchester County’s heritage today were
on display at the Visitor Center for several weeks before they were sealed in
the time capsule for 50 years.
“We
have a lot of Harriet Tubman items,” said Julie Gilberto-Brady, manager of the
Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area. “We have two open letters to Lovie.”
Lovie
Duncan is a little girl who was photographed this summer, reaching out to touch
the hand of Harriet Tubman in the mural in downtown Cambridge. The image was
widely circulated and helped make the mural a well known attraction.
A
few pieces from 1969 will be resealed in the new time capsule, along with
documents, souvenirs, memorabilia, photographs, videos and other artifacts that
commemorate Dorchester County’s history and heritage today. Many of the letters
and small packages from 1969 were addressed to “heirs,” “descendants” or the
“future generation.”
A
few of the items that will be placed in the time capsule include an oyster tin
and medallion commemorating the Skipjack Nathan’s 25th Anniversary this year,
medals from this year’s Ironman and Eagleman triathlons, videos of the people
who were profiled at the Smithsonian Water/Ways Exhibit, the winning work from
the 350th Anniversary Student Art and Essay competition, the 2019 Dorchester
County bird count, the 2019 Downtown Cambridge Christmas ornament, shoreline
and Dorchester land maps, and more.
The
original time capsule will do its duty once more. It was fabricated locally by
the C&K Lord Company as a donation to Sing Out Cambridge, the organization
that collected the contents 50 years ago.
“This is history in the making,” Gilberto-Brady said.
“What is wonderful about this project is that in 50 years, the people who open
this time capsule will be finding items that are 100 years old, items like a tercentenary
souvenir booklet, newspaper, buttons and other memorabilia from 1969. I think
the other interesting thing is that the company that fabricated the time
capsule in 1969 is still in business in Cambridge today, and they will be
re-sealing it for us later this month.”
