30-year-old time capsule to be opened Saturday

Published 12:03 am Thursday, June 11, 2015

Shown is the marker where students at East Three Notch Elementary School buried a time capsule 30 years ago. | Andrew Garner/Star-News

Shown is the marker where students at East Three Notch Elementary School buried a time capsule 30 years ago. | Andrew Garner/Star-News

Former East Three Notch Elementary School students will unearth a 30-year-old time capsule Saturday morning on the east lawn of Andalusia City Hall.

Event coordinator Chase Cotton, who was in kindergarten the year the capsule was buried in 1985, said the capsule was put in place to celebrate East Three Notch School’s 70th birthday on May 14, 1985.

“Supposedly, there’s a PVC pipe with all of our stuff from ’85 buried in the ground below that marker,” Cotton said.

The marker says that the capsule is to be opened in May 2015.

“We could’ve done it that Saturday after I had noticed the marker, but it was short notice for everybody,” Cotton said.

Cotton said he noticed the capsule on his way to a meeting at city hall.

“I just walked by it,” he said. “I was like ‘gollee, look at there.’”

Cotton said he took a picture of the marker and then talked to Andalusia Director of Planning and Development Andy Wiggins and people at city hall about the marker.

“(Wiggins) told me that they hadn’t done anything with it,” Cotton said. “He said, ‘Why don’t you take care of it.’ ”

Cotton said he tried to get help with the project, but no one had the time to take it on, so he took charge of the task.

He asked the city if he could have an informal ceremony to unearth the capsule on Saturday at 10 a.m.

When asked if he knows what’s inside the capsule, Cotton said he couldn’t recall.

“I was in kindergarten,” he said. “It’s tough for me to remember. I think I might have put my name plate from my chair or something in there.”

Cotton said he posted the picture he took on Facebook, and some folks reminisced, saying that there are cassette tapes and even MC Hammer pants inside.

“I don’t know what all’s in there,” he said. “I think it’s going to be pretty cool.”