“A time capsule is more than a collection of artifacts, it’s a promise between generations,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “Fifty years ago, Long Beach residents captured their hopes for the future. Today we’re honored to open that window into our past as we celebrate how far our city has come and recommit ourselves to building an even brighter future for the generations who follow.”
The capsule also contains photographs from Long Beach’s July 4, 1976 celebration, which coincided with the dedication of the city’s then-new civic center. Other items that once would have seemed unremarkable, including city-branded matchbooks, ashtrays and a telephone directory, now serve as reminders of how daily life has changed over the past five decades.