Over the past few months, Dexter has experienced an untimely challenge when a time capsule, originally buried nearly 50 years ago, eluded the Dexter Area Historical Society (DAHS) during a search. This capsule is not a typical small box with a handful of mementos but a large casket sealed inside a concrete burial vault. Buried during Dexter’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1974, it was intended to be a cornerstone of Dexter’s Bicentennial celebrations in 2024.
Fifty years ago in June, community members gathered various mementos to encapsulate their present-day for future generations. These items were sealed in a casket and entombed in a concrete vault under a small headstone, marking the burial site on the grounds of the Dexter Area Museum.
With the Bicentennial festivities dawning on the long-awaited horizon, DAHS thought it a good idea to dig up the capsule and check its contents for any possible damage and needed restoration before unveiling it to the public. But when the ground under the headstone was dug up, nothing but some coal, chicken wire, and garbage were found. While a stratum of trash can serve as a time capsule, it was not the one the society was looking for.
The real breakthrough came when the team deployed ground penetrating radar. Initially, the society thought it had located the vault. But digging revealed nothing but vault-free earth. Persistence paid off, however, and after about an hour of additional excavation, the team finally unearthed the vault.
DAHS has now scheduled the official opening of the time capsule for May 18 at 1:00 pm at the Dexter Area Museum at 3443 Inverness. This event will allow for a sneak preview of the contents, after which the items will be moved to another location for sorting and cleaning. The cleaned and preserved contents will be displayed to the public on June 21, from 3 pm to 7 pm. The Dexter Lions will be hosting an ice cream social at the event. If you put something into the 1974 time capsule and wish to claim it, this will be your chance.
Furthermore, in celebration of Dexter’s 200th birthday, DAHS is organizing a new Bicentennial time capsule. Community members are invited to contribute their items, ensuring their presence in the town’s historical narrative. Contributions can be made at the museum from 1-3 pm on May 31, June 1, 7,8,14,15, or from 5-7 pm on June 16, 17, and 19. Deadline for contributions is June 19 at 7 pm.
The society has set guidelines for these contributions: items must not exceed 18 x 18 inches, and contributors must avoid including liquids, foods, hazardous materials, or electronic devices with batteries.
The culmination of these activities will be marked by a dedication ceremony for the Bicentennial Time Capsule on June 21 at 6:00 pm. Following the ceremony, the capsule will be prepared for burial, not to be opened again until 2074.
Disinter more information at www.dexterhistory.org, 734-426-2519, or email at dextermichhistory@gmail.com.
8123 Main St Suite 200 Dexter, MI 48130
