Time travelers from '68 appear at Chase House

MEREDITH — The wait was over yesterday afternoon, as the sealed contents of a 1968 time capsule were brought to light during a ceremony at the Chase House.

One of two time capsules buried after the town's bicentennial celebration of '68 was opened as part of the town's 250th anniversary celebration; the other will be opened on July 4, 2068.

Carl Johnson Jr., wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and headband in a nod to the sixties, presided over the opening, describing each item as he pulled it from the urn which had been removed from its vault in front of the Benjamin M. Smith Memorial Library last spring.

Unlike some time capsules whose contents deteriorated, Meredith's had been well-sealed and, while some of the items had partially deteriorated, most were in remarkably good condition — such as an Archie comic strip by Bob Montana, a long-time Meredith resident. (A sculpture of Archie on a park bench will be dedicated in Meredith on Aug. 8.)

The time capsule's contents included bicentennial coins and programs, a town report, plans for improving the town's traffic flow, a proposal for a new elementary school, tickets to events and program booklets from the New Hampshire Music Festival and the Lakes Region Playhouse.

Other items included a tile whose image had largely disappeared, a Time Magazine with a cover by sixties pop artist Peter Max, and a Reader's Digest — "Remember books?" Johnson quipped as he removed it from the urn.

Meredith banners, a tattered bicentennial banner, histories of the town and other local memorabilia also had been packed into the container. There was even a ticket for a free shave.

The well-preserved items were a testament to the efforts of those who buried the capsule 50 years ago. Those efforts had proven to be a challenge for those removing the capsule last May, when workers first had to remove a heavy granite disk identifying the location of the buried cache.

Using spade shovels and crowbars, the team was able to slide the granite lid away, only to find a cement lid over a tile vault beneath it. That lid was sealed with mastic, a tar-like substance which chipped off in pieces before they were finally able to get to the two urns inside.

The time capsule for this year has been on display at the library, while the other is being held for the town's tercentennial celebration. Having the capsule on display helped build curiosity about what was inside, resulting in a full house for the opening.

Or maybe it anticipation of the ice cream that would be served afterward that drew such a large crowd on a hot July 4.