As part of Chatham County’s 250th Founding Day celebrations, volunteers are collecting items for the official Chatham 250 Time Capsule.

The time capsule will include items representing current events and the way of life in Chatham County during 2021. The capsule will be sealed at the conclusion of Chatham 250 in fall 2021 and is not to be opened again until the county’s 300th anniversary.

“We’re going to be continuing to collect items from events or from activities across the county during 2021 and put them in a time capsule,” said Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard. “The plan is to have them in this capsule and open it in 2071, 50 years from now.”

Suggested items for the time capsule include current menus from Chatham County eateries, Chatham business advertisements, 2021 movie, music or book reviews, and photos depicting life today in the county.

Other suggestions include 2021 stamps and coins, biographies or personal letters, and letters from school-age children to their future self.

“We encourage young people to write letters to their future selves and older people to write letters about what this year been like for Chatham County residents yet to come,” Howard said.

Time capsule donations should be accompanied with names and dates and are required to be less than 48 inches x 34 inches.

The county government said all items collected are to be considered donations. Upon its opening in 2071, all property inside the time capsule will be transferred to the Chatham County Historical Association, or future successor.

Howard said donations can be delivered to Chatham County Clerk Lindsey Ray. For questions on the Chatham 250 Time Capsule, contact Ray at lindsay.ray@chathamcountync.gov.

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