The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Community hosts time capsule burial
The city of Elyria put today’s present into the ground and made it tomorrow’s history in Ely Square.
It was Elyria’s last event Nov. 14 celebrating the city’s bicentennial, 200 years since Elyria was founded in 1817.
And Mayor Holly Brinda along with over 100 people worked together to make the last event complete.
Citizens, volunteers and members of Elyria organizations put many memorable items into a time capsule to celebrate the city’s 200-year-marking.
The capsule is planned to be open by its future mayor and citizens 100 years from now, during the city’s 2117 tricentennial.
A letter to the future written by the Mayor states what is included in the capsule, as well as some interesting facts about what Elyria has been and what it is currently.
The letter was placed in the capsule as well a proclamation of the city and other items representing the bicentennial and its events.
A series of events planned almost 18 months ago by Brinda, as well as city officials and volunteers, began earlier this year with the bicentennial marker at the city’s founding site, Brinda said.
Events following throughout the year were made possible by dedication of many organizations in the county.
The events showed how important celebrating the history and future of Elyria was to the community, she said.
Some of the past events Brinda wanted the city to remember were the displays, school presentations and talks and lectures by the Lorain County Historical Society, the fireworks show, a bicentennial ball, murals, a bicentennial version of the Cleveland pops
orchestra concert and more.
“We thought it was important to do a time capsule to give folks from the future a glimpse of what it was like here in 2017,” Brinda said. “It was mentioned (during the time capsule event) about 1917 and how different it was. Imagine what people will think about 2017.”
She also added how the memories created can be inspirational when looking at Elyria, a city of many firsts.
Some examples she gave was Elyria’s importance during the underground railroad, having the first hospital for crippled children in the U.S. or the first community college that was built in the state of Ohio.
Brinda also shared inventions created in the city that had a global impact everywhere: inventions such as the sewing machine and pipe wrench.
“It’s good to remember things like that,” she said. “We want people from the future to understand Elyria’s importance in this area and to others with the capsule.”
John Beckett, an Elyria citizen who volunteered for the bicentennial, was responsible for the creation of the documentary that captured the yearlong celebration.
According to Brinda, the Lorain County Solid Waste
District and Beckett documented Elyria’s past present and future, naming the finished product: Making history, Then and Now.
She said it will be shown on Cable Channel 12 and will be offered to buy on the city’s website.
Beckett said he was interested in the bicentennial and the idea of doing a documentary on the city sprung to him.
“It’s important to mark our history,” he said.
Many volunteers and officials thought about how to observe the event so that it didn’t just slide by, he said. They wanted a series of events to make the time more memorable.
“History becomes the foundation on which we build from the future,” Beckett said.
Gabrielle Davis, an eighth-grade student from St. Jude, wrote a letter explaining her feelings on the event and how important the city of Elyria is to her.
Gabrielle also placed a magnet and shirt representing the 75th year anniversary of St. Jude with the 75 acts of kindness included.
“I’m very excited for the future, but it’s hard to comprehend the idea of greatgrandchildren and grandchildren being able to see (the time capsule),” she said. “It’s something bigger than myself and really is an inspiration.”