Payne County Time Capsule - Stillwater, OK - Time Capsules on Waymarking.com

The time capsule is located on the courthouse grounds, southeast of the building. It is a cubical granite bench engraved:

Payne County Time Capsule Dedicated on Statehood Day, November 16, 1989 to be opened on November 16, 2089 Payne County Historical Society

The Oklahoma Museums Association in conjunction with the Oklahoma Historical Society issued a technical bulletin giving information on placing a time capsule and suggestions regarding the contents. They used this particular time capsule as an example, which we found fascinating. We always wondered what was put into time capsules. The following is a portion of this technical bulletin related to the Payne County Time Capsule:

"The Payne County Historical Society wanted to present an accurate picture of what ordinary life in Stillwater and Payne County was like in 1989 to area residents one hundred years into the future. Thus, all contents had to have a direct link either to the city or county; those with state or national associations were excluded. A decision was also made very early to avoid obvious objects which would probably survive into the next century without the benefit of a time capsule. These included the newspapers, directories, and lists of public officials ordinarily available at most local libraries and government offices. Instead, items which were unique to the community or captured its essence were sought. A t-shirt from a well-known bar and restaurant, the menu from a long-established pizzeria, and randomly selected daily logs from the hospital, police department, and fire department are but a sample of such material. Black-and-white photographs of the county's central business districts (compared to color, the least likely to suffer deterioration over time) provided a pictorial record of the 1989 built environment for the future. Perhaps most notably, the Society decided not to prepare oral history tapes, primarily because it remained uncertain whether magnetic tapes would retain their fidelity after 100 years. Besides, it is also conceivable that an ordinary cassette player may not be available in the future, except as a museum piece. If audio or videotapes are part of a time capsule, it is best to include a player if at all possible. Instead, the Society asked approximately 100 county residents, representing a wide socioeconomic spectrum, to record on acid-free paper who they are, their present concerns, and their hopes and fears for the future. Such an approach offered several benefits. By asking individuals to record their impressions on paper, a greater number of residents were able to participate than would have been the case with time-consuming oral interviews. Also, allowing contributors to do this privately hopefully resulted in candid responses which will provide meaningful insights to those who eventually open the capsule and read them. Furthermore, the use of acid-free paper rather than magnetic tape seemed the best method to assure these important contributions would survive. Finally, the entire procedure allowed us to gather a great deal of information in a very time and cost efficient manner."

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