Community asked to help with 'timely' project

The 2016 Moniteau County Fair board searched for and eventually found the time capsule left by the 100th anniversary board in 1966.
The 2016 Moniteau County Fair board searched for and eventually found the time capsule left by the 100th anniversary board in 1966.

Buried near the entrance of the Moniteau County Fairgrounds 50 years ago was a time capsule left for the 2066 celebrants.
Luckily, the 150th fair committee decided to dig up the box, which had become water-logged.
"It said 'not to be opened until 2066' but now we're really glad we did," said committee member Lisa Milligan. "In another 50 years, there could have been a lot more erased history."
The current fair committee will return the 1966 capsule to the earth, along with one from the 150th, Milligan said.
The community is invited to suggest items that might be appropriate for the present-day time capsule. Already, the fair committee has a collection of memorabilia and photos, she said.
But the 50-year-old time capsule's contents required some TLC.
The ornate, metal box had been encased in concrete, but not a weather-proof container.
Committee members removed the chunk of concrete with a front loader and pealed away the concrete with a jack hammer.
"It was very exciting whenever we first hit it and everybody crowded around," Milligan said. "Then, we pulled the top off and realized it was full of water."
"We could see the plastic bag; I guess they thought that would help."
The paper products had swelled due to the water and for a moment they wondered if they would be able to pull anything out, she said.
The first item they pulled out was a pistol in its holster. Other items included flags, medals, buttons, plates and bolo ties.
"Once you got started, you kind of felt like you were treasure hunting," Milligan said.
The paper items were newspapers, programs and personal letters. They also found a banner signed by those attending a picnic, many of the family names still familiar today, she said.
"It was neat to see names I recognized," Milligan said. "Their legacy lived on through this time capsule."
Milligan and other volunteers rushed the soaked papers into the Centennial Hall, where they set window screens over chairs and carefully pealed page from page to lay out to dry.
"It smelled awful because of the water and rust," she admitted.
Although the paper was salvaged, most of the ink on the personal letters was lost.
"It's a mystery; what would we have learned?" Milligan said.
Fifty years ago, the main event at the fair was the horse show. These days, it's motorsports.
"How much will things change in another 50 years?"
The present-day fair committee is considering storing the returned time capsule above ground, Milligan said. They are in the process of researching the best preservation techniques, she said.
"We want to get creative so this is more well-preserved," she said.
Email to [email protected] for more information.