Archbald residents peeked into the past Saturday during a ceremony unveiling the contents of a 50-year time capsule unearthed last month as part of the borough’s sesquicentennial celebration.
Among the contents of what was then called a “coffin-like container” were local newspapers, a history of the borough, articles of incorporation of the borough’s centennial committee, and souvenirs of the 1976 celebration, which noted not only the borough’s centennial, but also the nation’s bicentennial anniversary.
Shown here is Erin Owen, along with other volunteers, packing a time capsule on Oct. 10, 2026. The capsule is to be opened in 2076. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Shown are items retrieved from a time capsule last month in Archbald. The capsule was buried in 1976. The items are shown here on Oct. 10, 2026. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Shown here is Archbald council member Erin Owen and volunteer Dale Keklock memorializing the contents of a time capsule to be buried Saturday. In the foreground is a metal time capsule buried in 1976 and unearthed last month. The event, part of a year-long celebration, took place on Oct. 10, 2026. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
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Shown here is Erin Owen, along with other volunteers, packing a time capsule on Oct. 10, 2026. The capsule is to be opened in 2076. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
When the Department of Public Works opened the metal container, workers found not only historical items, but also a significant amount of water, prompting fears that the contents were ruined.
What kept the items in reasonably good condition was simply the plastic bags that held many of them, council member Erin Owen said.
Newspapers were readable, hats were in good condition, and souvenir wooden nickels held their shape. The items’ resilience reflected borough residents’ commitment to stick together through “every high and low,” Owen said.
Leaving a legacy for the future
However, history and the borough’s commitment to preserving it didn’t stop there.
Owen, a member of the Archbald 150 Committee, pointed out that borough residents would also be burying a new time capsule later in the day for future generations to open in 2076.
“I would like to thank everybody who’s here today placing articles in the time capsule, carrying your stories forward. I thank everybody for placing their items in the time capsule. It’s truly a gift for the future,” she said.
Madonna Munley, councilwoman and member of the Archbald 150 Committee, told a crowd of about 35 people, “We’re here to not only look toward the future, but to honor the past. The families who came here in the early 1800s came here for a better life, and that’s still what we want for their children and their grandchildren.”
Munley is especially proud of her status as a fifth-generation Archbald resident.
Dale Keklock, vice president of the Archbald Historical Society, pointed out that the container used for the new time capsule would be much different from the tin box buried five decades ago. Instead, the state-of-the-art waterproof tube is built to protect and preserve its contents, which will include informational DVDs, maps, documents, a newspaper and a T-shirt reading “Archbald residents for responsible zoning.”
“On this day, Oct. 10, 2026, we lock away these memories today, so they can speak to the future tomorrow. The time capsule will be opened on Oct. 10, 2076, with love,” Owen said.
The borough’s 150th anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year and include a Motorcade & Tree Lighting on Nov. 21 and a Santa Train event on Dec. 5.