Monroe’s time capsule is in the ground, as the 50-year-clock starts to tick

MONROE, CT — A small crowd gathered on the town green on a chilly Saturday afternoon to bury a time capsule for Monroe’s bicentennial. Filled with items about the town and current times, the capsule will be dug up by future residents in the year 2073.

Vida Stone, chair of the Monroe Bicentennial Committee, thanked the community for its contributions to the capsule, with special thanks to Caitlin Luf, 17, a Masuk High School senior who designed a commemorative ornament of the town’s historic schoolhouse.

During her junior year, Luf, who plans to study art after she graduates, won the Monroe Historical Society’s contest. The pewter ornament has her rendition of the schoolhouse on the front and the town seal on the back.

Luf walked up and placed her ornament inside the time capsule.

Stone recalled how earlier in the year town officials opened a 1972 time capsule that had been placed inside a brick wall of the Monroe Town Hall building, as well as a capsule at the site of the rebuild of the playground at Wolfe Park that was recently unearthed.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of this day and we thank everyone for coming out to be a part of this,” First Selectman Ken Kellogg said to the crowd. “As Vida said earlier, we are privileged to have unearthed a couple of time capsules.”

He recalled how some of the contents of the time capsule at Town Hall had sustained water damage.

“I’m glad we’ve got something really robust here, so that 50 years from now those that come as we are gathered here today to unearth history will have memories that are preserved by us,” Kellogg said of the watertight time capsule they were burying Saturday.

Kellogg thanked the entire Bicentennial Committee for organizing a series of events throughout the year, including a fireworks display at Wolfe Park. Everything culminated into the burial of the time capsule on Saturday.

Stone welcomed First Selectman-Elect Terry Rooney and State Rep. Tony Scott, R-Monroe, who attended the ceremony.

What’s inside?

Lee Hossler, a member of the Bicentennial Committee, put together a binder over many months, which includes photos and copy about town properties such as Wolfe Park, Great Hollow Lake and Webb Mountain.

Hossler said the purpose is for the residents who open the capsule in 50 years to learn what Monroe is like today.

The 25-page-binder includes a proclamation of the first selectman and every community group is represented. The pages are two-sided.

Stone thanked Hossler and credited fellow committee member, Kelly Plunkett, for working with all of Monroe’s public schools, with help from the Board of Education, to receive contributions from children.

In one contribution, Stone said Fawn Hollow Elementary School students did something on where they will be 50 years from now.

Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts also contributed items for the capsule.

The Monroe Volunteer Fire Department, which is celebrating its 100th year anniversary this year, and the Stepney and Stevenson volunteer fire companies also contributed many items, according to Stone.

The Save Our Stepney Task Force and Monroe Women’s Club made contributions and other items include popular candy of today, utensils, gas receipts, comic strips and grocery store flyers.

The Democratic and Republican town committees contributed items and the capsule contains T-shirts from the Monroe Farmers’ Market and the Wolfe’s Den, as well as Monroe Bicentennial memorabilia.

Kellogg donated items from his office and Scott and Gov. Ned Lamont made proclamations.

“It’s full,” Stone said of the capsule, adding everything is wrapped in Saran Wrap, then placed in Ziploc bags.

Hossler sealed the time capsule and committee member Paul Moyse, Rooney and Town Councilman Jason Maur helped him to lower it into the hole. Then everyone took turns scooping dirt into the hole with three shovels.

Coordinates showing the exact location of the time capsule will be recorded in the Town Clerk’s Office, according to Stone. She said there will be no plaque outside to lower the possibility of someone becoming too curious before 2073.