Pocatello Seals 50 Year Time Capsule at Marshall Public Library
Hadley Bodell
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – To kickoff the historic America250 Fourth of July weekend, the City of Pocatello celebrated Idaho’s birthday and the community by sealing the 50-year time capsule. Unlike other time capsules buried underground, this one will be held on the second floor of the Marshall Public Library for the next 50 years.
A special America250 Committee has spearheaded the project, led by Representative Rick Cheatum. He had the idea for the time capsule after seeing other communities preserve snapshots in time in similar ways. The hope is that local leadership will open the steel box in 50 years and have an accurate idea of what life in Pocatello consisted of in 2026.
By 2076, it’s possible the forms of media preserved in the time capsule will no longer exist. Things like newspapers, physical articles, Idaho State University merchandise and more trinkets from everyday life filled the box. The capsule itself was built and donated by Partner Steel, and with over 100 total donations to City Hall for the project, they were able to fit everything submitted into the safe.
“There’s stuff in there from the City of Pocatello, taxes, everything to really show where we’re at now,” said J.D. Hansen, events coordinator for the America250 board.
He added it was challenging to decide how the items would best be preserved for 50 years, with the committee purchasing special preservation tools to make it possible.
“We had to order special papers to make sure none of the ink or anything like that spreads or omits any gas,” Hansen said. “Everything is personally sealed individually so that we don’t have any bleeding over anything else or the natural gasses to destroy it.”
Rep. Rick Cheatum spoke at the July 3 ceremony about the importance of preserving our community’s history and honoring the birthdays of both Idaho and the U.S. this year. Mayor Mark Dahlquist was also in attendance and read the proclaimation, stating that Pocatello officially participated in America250 with the time capsule project.
The mayor and members of the city council wrote letters to place inside. Dahlquist added he is honored to be mayor of Pocatello during this special celebratory year.
He reminded the community to continue celebrating in the downtown area of Pocatello throughout the weekend, with the First Friday Art Walk, the Farmer’s Market and both the parade and fireworks show at the Portneuf Wellness Complex on the Fourth of July.