Portsmouth's long-lost 1995 time capsule is found. Here's what comes next.
PORTSMOUTH — Just as we are completing plans for the 100-year Portsmouth 2123 time capsule, another capsule we buried at Portsmouth High School in 1995 has been found.
During the past couple of years, we have taken a lot of deserved ribbing for not locating it. But we continued the search and on Thursday, Dec. 28, it was located under two feet of soil and rock.
Originally called the "Portsmouth 2020 vision project time capsule," it was to be opened three years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed that plan. Since then, several of us who had buried it, including Bob Lister, Raymond Will and myself, have been searching the grounds with other volunteers.
Bob in particular did yeoman's duty, going out with pick and shovel on cold and blustery days digging sample holes. It became his hobby, perhaps his way to get out of the house for fresh air.
Ray Will, who at age 25 was the last person to touch it, was the first to touch it Thursday. He's now 53; his wife Jennifer and son Jack cheered the moment.
The time capsule is a Rubbermaid box, but it held up well from its journey through time underground. The first things found were some city documents, letters written by Bob Lister to his sons and from them to him, items Ray Will had put in, and a set of my old District 24 New Hampshire state Senate license plates. I was wondering where I put them.
Twenty-eight years ago, among those throwing shovels of dirt over the capsule were school Superintendent Nate Greenberg and City Councilor John Hynes. City Manager Jim McSweeney joined us and said, "Some of the city's future thinking is in this time capsule," and urged whoever is manager in 2020 to take a look at it.
During the small casual burying ceremony held that day, the Rev. Robert E. Stiefel of the Christ Episcopal Church blessed the time capsule as it traveled on its journey, observing, "Bless what our children's children do."
The time capsule is in good shape. So far we have found no bugs, but there is some moisture that doesn't seem to have damaged the contents, which in large part were enclosed in additional containers. We're wondering if Rubbermaid would be interested in doing a commercial about the quality of its boxes.
We're going to be searching through the rest of the box this week, and will report more about it soon as well as thank others who helped on the search. In 1995, we had invited school students and residents to write messages to their future, and we'll let anyone whose letters we find know how they can get them returned.
About 80 people gathered for the first Portsmouth 2020 vision project forum on May 22, 1991 at Yoken's Restaurant, which began a five-year series of discussions about our future opportunities which are catalogued in the time capsule. We heard Mayor Eileen Foley predict, "We'll all have computers in our pocketbooks, and we'll all go home for a fireside chat from our lady president!"
Remember, those were the days of radio telephones, dial-up AOL, VHS tapes and cassette recorders.
Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine has been Portsmouth assistant mayor for six terms, Police Commission and School Board member, as well as New Hampshire state senator for six years and representative for 24 years. He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouth@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH 1995 time capsule is found
