Meredith history dug up

Time capsule contents to be revealed on Independence Day

MEREDITH — The contents of a time capsule removed Tuesday from its vault in front of the Benjamin M. Smith Memorial Library will remain unknown until the official opening in July. Meanwhile, the library is encouraging people to stop by and guess what is inside the sealed urn, now on display inside the lobby.

The time capsule to be opened on July 4 at 2 p.m. at the Chase House, as part of Meredith’s 250th anniversary celebration, is one of two urns placed in the ground 50 years ago. The other time capsule is to be opened on Meredith’s 300th anniversary, 50 years from now.

The crypt containing the two time capsules proved to be challenging to the team of diggers that gathered by the flower bed adjacent to the library sign at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Workers first had to remove a heavy granite disk identifying the location of the buried cache, placed there with the intention of showing residents of today what life was like back in 1968.

Using spade shovels and crowbars, the team was able to slide the granite memorial away to expose the lidded cement-tile vault beneath it. That was when the fun really began.

Those who buried the time capsules had taken precautions to protect them from the elements, including using mastic, a tar-like substance, to seal the lid over the well tile. Removing the seal was a slow process, and they determined that it would take heavy machinery to lift the cover when attempts to pry it off merely chipped off pieces of cement.

A call to Public Works brought in an excavator and chains to assist in removing the cover by lifting the lid by its two metal handles. The first attempt at removal failed when the chain broke one of the metal-loop handles.

By repositioning the excavator and using manual help in prying up the lid, they finally succeeded in accessing the sealed boxes inside.

A stain on the urns indicated that about an inch of water had accumulated inside the vault at some point, but the containers were still intact, preserving hope that the contents have not been damaged.

The time capsule to be opened in July has been placed on a table inside the front door of the library. The other one has been placed temporarily inside the library vault, awaiting a reburial.

The time capsules were removed now, before the flower gardens were planted, so the flowers would not be disturbed by digging them up in July. The time capsule for 2068 will be placed back in the ground next year to await the town’s 300th birthday.

250th schedule

In addition to the time capsule opening on July 4, the Meredith 250th Anniversary Committee is planning a big Main Street parade on Saturday, Aug. 11.

Other things in the works are a June street dance organized by the American Legion; a baseball game tentatively set for the last week of July; and a harvest and farming event, followed by a Spooktacular event in October.

The celebration will conclude in December with a New Year’s Gala Dinner-Dance on Saturday, Dec. 29, at Church Landing at Mill Falls.

The committee also has commemorative items for sale, including window catchers, bags with the 250th logo, and license plate frames advertising the town’s anniversary year. There are a few of the 250th Anniversary calendars still available, at a reduced price of $7.

Items are available at Church Landing at Mill Falls, Hannaford Supermarket-Meredith, Hermit Woods Winery, Lake Effect, Lakeside Mailing, League of NH Craftsman, Meredith Chamber of Commerce, Meredith Historical Society, Meredith Mobil Station and Moulton Farm.

The Meredith Historical Society also has a special schedule of free programs relating to the town’s history at the Meredith Community Center.

• Coming up on Tuesday, June 5, is “The Cultural Landscape: A Museum of Local History” presented by former State Architectural Historian James L. Garvin and historic preservation consultant Mae Williams.

• On Tuesday, July 3, Rudy VanVeghten, former editor of the Meredith News and author of The History of Meredith Bay, will present “Meredith and the Civil War: The Story of the 12th New Hampshire Volunteers.”

• On Tuesday Aug. 7, Dr. John Hopper, author of The History of Bear Island and a historical society board member, will present “The History of Bear Island — From Farmers to Vacationers.”

• On Tuesday Sept. 4, former Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Taylor and John Moulton, owner of Moulton Farm, will present “The Changing Role of Agriculture in Meredith’s History.”

• The program on Tuesday, Oct. 2, will be “You Know You Are In New Hampshire When…” featuring John Clayton, a former host of NH Crossroads and columnist for the Union Leader.

• Fritz Wetherbee will present “Perspective on Meredith” on Tuesday, Nov. 6.