VIENNA — Maries County residents Sept. 5 watched as former Maries R-1 Principal Jim Parker and Judge Kerry Rowden unsealed the time capsule after nearly 50 years. The opening occurred at the Maries County Courthouse after the Maries County Fair parade.

The time capsule was sealed Nov. 18, 1976, during a school assembly. Parker, 84, of Vienna, a history teacher and basketball coach at the time, told the students that they would see the capsule opened, but he wouldn’t.

“I didn’t think I’d be around 50 years and opening it up again,” he said.

About 50 items were stored in the capsule at the Maries County Bank. These include a passbook for a Maries County Bank savings account, photos from the school and Vienna area, yearbooks and “History of Maries County” by Everett Marshall King.

Rowden said that the opening was successful, except that he couldn’t find the items he and his classmates Brenda John and John Lemberger put into the capsule. He said that they didn’t remember what the items were.

What stood out to Rowden were the photographs and items from Tom Coffey, who ran the county fair for over 40 years.

Of all the changes, Rowden believes that the biggest change is electronics, such as smart phones and the internet. However, contrary to popular belief at the time, he said there are still no flying cars.

“And there was no electronics in that thing at all,” he said.

Lisa Jones, president of the Historical Society of Maries County, said the capsule was donated so that the items can be documented and displayed.

The historical society will meet Sept. 16 to start identifying contents and people in the photos. Jones said that it will release a list of items as soon it is complete.

The historical society hopes to scan the documents for the public to view on its website, but Jones said the society will need help and resources for that project.

Jones also noted that some documents, such as the newspapers, due to age, may be too fragile to scan. However, the historical society has other copies of the Maries County Gazette besides the copies in the time capsule.

Jones, who was a high schooler in 1976, believes that its opening is important because it causes Maries County residents to remember their history and how to move forward.

“I think it’s important that we document our history, and we reflect on that, and I guess just enjoy the good memories from our past,” she said. 

One item that stood out to Jones was the brand-new copy of King’s book, which is the first documenting Maries County history, including families. While the historical society has copies, she said that they are worn with torn pages, but this one was still in its original wrapper.

Lisa Garro, director of the Heartland Regional Library System, hopes to seal another time capsule around November. Her desire is that it would include items from various organizations and members of the community.

The complete list of items, as reported by the Maries County Gazette, edited for style:

Newspapers

1. St. Louis Post-Dispatch of Nov. 22, 1963, reporting assassination of President John F. Kennedy

2. Post-Dispatch of Oct. 19, 1966, reporting on President Johnson’s trip to Vietnam war front

3. Post-Dispatch of Jan. 28, 1967, reporting on deaths of three astronauts in accident at Cape Kennedy, Fla.

4. Post-Dispatch of Sunday picture magazine of Dec. 1, 1963, with complete picture story of Kennedy assassination, funeral and killing of Oswald

5. Gazette-Adviser of May 18, 1972; 100th anniversary edition, containing several historical articles

6. Globe-Democrat of Aug. 9, 1974, reporting resignation of President Nixon

7. Globe-Democrat of June 19, 1976, containing three special Bicentennial sections

8. Jefferson City News and Tribune Sunday magazine of Nov. 7, 1976, telling of plans to establish colonies in outer space

9. Gazette-Adviser of Nov. 3, 1976, containing Maries County election results

10. Post-Dispatch of Nov. 3, 1976, giving national election results

11. Capital Daily News of Nov. 4, 1976, containing state and national election results

12. Gazette-Adviser of Nov. 10 and Nov. 17, 1976, reporting on the time capsule project

Books

13. Vienna area telephone directory

14. Maries County rural resident directory, which, with the telephone directory, will contain the names of everyone living in the area at this time

15. Visitation Church Centennial book of 1957

16. Vienna Centennial book of 1956

17. Maries County Fair books of 1974 and 1976

18. Belle Fair book of 1976

19. Readers Digests of July and October 1976, with articles of historical significance

20. King’s “History of Maries County”

21. National catalog of Bicentennial events, including Vienna observance

22. Vienna school yearbook of 1976

23. Belle school yearbook of 1976

24. Mall order catalog of 1976

25. Scrap book of fashions, hair styles and homemaking, compiled by the Home-Ec Department of school

26. Missouri Semi-quincentennial picture book of 1971

27. Book of 127 color photographs of Missouri

28. Time Magazine special edition of Sept. 26, reporting the news of 1789, the way they do today

Other items

29. Tape cassette made at the Visitation School

30. Manila envelope containing collection of photographs taken at schools

31. (Missing from original inventory sheet)

32. (Missing from original inventory sheet)

33. Manila envelope, containing photo collection of the general area and activities

34. Records and photographs of the Vienna Bicentennial Committee

35. 1976 illustrated calendar

36. USA Travel Guide with maps

37. Vienna economic profile prepared by Missouri Division of Commerce and Industrial Development

38. Louis Wenzel auctioneering certificate from 1922

39. Almanac for 1977

40. Vienna promotional pamphlet

41. Letter to the people of 2026

42. Passbook for bank savings account

43. 1976-77 Missouri Legislature Directory

44. Gazette-Adviser of April 17, 1975, with photograph of planting of first tree in Bicentennial tree project and news story concerning the project

45. Map of Vienna showing location of various features and public buildings

46. (Missing from original inventory sheet)

47. Central Ozarks Census Profile, which includes Maries County

48. “News Scrapbook” by Jerry Honse, completed as a school assignment

49. Belle Banner of Oct. 23, 1973, which was a special international Shoe Anniversary edition

50. Scrapbook on the history and operation of the Maries County NFO

51. Special report and photograph from the 4-H Club