The items in the 1969 time capsule have been itemized.

Hannibal Parks & Recreation staff opened the time capsule on May 1 and displayed the items to the public on Saturday, May 4. The items are now on display at City Hall.

When the vault was opened, parks employees discovered about 40 plastic bags, most of them waterlogged, some completely. Park staff pumped out about two feet of water.

Park staff retrieved and attempted to dry out the items. Some of the items could be salvaged but some were unrecognizable.

A new time capsule will be buried on Oct. 26, 2019, to be opened in 2069.

Items from the Sesquicentennial Time Capsule Opened May 2, 2019:

1. Invitation from Mr. “C” Copton Appliance Company, 215 North Main St. to the opening of the Sesquicentennial Time Capsule to be held in Central Park in the year 2019 AD
2. Letter to Merrilyn and Patricia Jurgens from Daddy and Mama, July 6, 1969, including pictures of Merrilyn and Patricia
3. Letter to my first grandchild Michael Patrick Bowen from Kay Speckhart, dated July 5, 1969
4. Coins include: 3 silver dollars, (two 1921, one 1900), 7 indian head/buffalo back nickels (1913 – 1938), 1 unidentified nickel, 3 pennies, 1 quarter, two sesquicentennial 1969, 1 dime
5. Sesquicentennial 1969 token
6. Pens
7. Hannibal Newcomers Club booklet 1969 including article from The Hannibal Courier-Post about Hat Luncheon
8. Hollywood Barber College nametag “Bob”
9. Hannibal Jaycees Youth Day Class B ribbons (2)
10. Hannibal Monument Co weather checker (cardboard)
11. Plastic Indian Chief
12. Kewpie Doll
13. Plastic pocket protector with Coffee Mill Flavor ad on front
14. Cave Owner I Am Your Cave booklet, published by Members of Tom Sawyer Grotto, Hannibal, MO, June 30, 1969
15. Nemo Shrine Club Bylaws and roster 1967
16. 5 garter leg belts “Hannibaltown 1819 – 1969
17. Leg Stocking
18. Plastic hand fan
19. Sesquicentennial Booklet
20. Hannibal Elks Lodge officers, etc. July 7, 1969
21. Painting by Roy Brosi, 1967 (canvas was in pieces)
22. Miss Hannibal Pageant program
23. Ayers American Almanac 1859
24. 2 Coke, 2 Pepsi glass bottles
25. Picture of Kenneth Loyd Hirshey, Rita Ruth Chapin Hirshey, Carol Hann Hirshey, 9 years old, Kenny Hirshey, Jr., 8 years old from 1969
26. Hannibal Missouri t-shirt (white with blue lettering)
27. Silver hand lighter
28. Coins from Mardi Gras 1966
29. Tamper proof tag releaser (plastic) with plastic card of instructions
30. Sesquicentennial Beautification Committee program for time capsule – July 6, 1969
31. 4 rings
32. Key
33. Plastic sack from Cassano’s Pizza King 15^th Anniversary
34. Photo of woman and child
35. Back of photo (photo completely faded) Secretary Husband James McDonald and our grandchild Debbra Jean Shuck, 4 years old, daughter of Gene and Sandra Shuck
36. Western Union Telegram from Richard Lee
37. Ceramic/glass dinner type plate with gold logo of Sesquicentennial
38. Balloons
39. The Labor News (paper) July 4, 1969
40. Hypodermic needles (2)
41. Dress from Kline’s (in pieces)
42. Customer handbook presented by Board of Public Works, March 1, 1969, includes letter to Mr. Jerry Sampson from Cal Davis, General Superintendent – letter dated June 18, 1969
43. Scholastic book with illustrations by Veronica Reed (not sure of title…something about Cathy)
44. Letter from Kay Speckhart to her darling sons, John Wayne and Terrill Eugene Bowen
45. Letter from Robert Bush, sesquicentennial director, June 27 – July 6, 1969
46. Bust of Mark Twain (handmade Rubel)
47. LP Record MGM
48. The Hannibal Courier Post newspaper Friday, June 27, 1969
49. The Quincy Herald Whig, July 6, 1969
50. Welcome Wagon booklet “The Most Famous Basket in the World” includes committee names
51. Letter from JoAnn Morgan, secretary of Hannibal Festivals, Inc. July 1, 1969
52. Nine tapes of daily broadcasts July 5, 1969, on KHMO radio
53. TV reel from KHQA from Crepe Paper Ball held at Cliffside Mansion
54. Tranquilizers from Scott’s Drug Store “in use for the nervous type” in 1969
55. Baby dress worn by Tanya Sue King, Hannibal’s Sesquicentennial Baby, with knitted baby booties
56. Newsletter from The Hannibal Lutheran, April, May, June 1969
57. Styrofoam band hat
58. Maroon men’s top hat
59. Cloth/sticker from KHMO
60. Nametag for Earl
61. Various committee/chairperson ribbons (unidentifiable)
62. Program from Sesquicentennial Fashion Show, July 4, 1969
63. Black glass ashtray with Sesquicentennial logo
64. Descriptive Pattern and Size book from Alexander Smith Carpets and Rugs 1968
65. Picture and information about Francis J. Desmond, Jr. – wedding photo of Sandy and Frank
66. US Postage Stamp 6 cents with Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s pic (2)
67. Sticker/window cling? Of sesquicentennial logo
68. The National Speleological Society brochure
69. Silk shawl possibly (in pieces)
70. Brown ceramic puppy dog (poodle)
71. Small green plastic hair comb
72. Hannibal Chamber of Commerce “Hannibal Missouri” brochure and postcard
73. Letter to the Citizens of Hannibal, from Lou McDonald, secretary to director of Robert Bush
74. Scrapbook (appears to be made out of wood) made by Bette Valentik Griggs to include newspapers articles. She was requested to make the scrapbook after Mayor Fred Herrin gave a presentation at the Oakwood Women’s Club.  It had 50 pages with daily additions of newspaper articles.
75. 11 x 17 wooden decoupage of ten commandments
76. Archie comic book
77. Order of the Arrow card – a national brotherhood of scout honor campers; from Boy Scouts of America
78. Unrecognizable photos/words from hospital – back of one photo read James Faries, Sr., administrator, Levering Hospital from August 1, 1966 to ?
79. Punks for fireworks
80. Book “Tom Sawyer Gotto” volume 1 – number 1, January – February 1968; complete with Tom’s Spelunking News with hand drawn illustrations

Many items had some significant water damage and were not able to be inventoried. We did the best we could identifying what we could; it was a huge disappointment to open the vault and discover items from 1969 were floating in water.