By Jason Evans

Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — Pickens County officials buried a time capsule in front of the county courthouse over the weekend as part of the county’s 150th birthday celebration.

County council chairman Roy Costner said the time capsule is sending “messages to the future,” and said he hopes he will be able to attend when the capsule is opened in 2068, when he would be 105.

The burial followed the county’s sesquicentennial Christmas parade, which was opened to entrants countywide in downtown Pickens.

Parade participants and attendees were encouraged to dress in period costumes representing either 1868 or 1968.

“What an exceptional, extraordinary Christmas parade,” Costner said. “What a great celebration of the past 150 years. But you know what? We can now begin to celebrate the next 150 years, because we’re all a part of that.”

County spokeswoman Jamie Burns said the capsule’s contents include items made in Pickens County, memorabilia from Southern Wesleyan University and Clemson University, letters written by residents, yearbooks, class rings and photos, as well as promotional materials from the sesquicentennial celebrations held throughout this year.

Burns said the capsule also holds letters written by the current mayors in the county.

“You’re going to want to go ahead and plan now to be here in 50 years,” Costner said. “They’ve packed it completely full.”

Members of the Pickens County Historical Society sorted through the many items dropped off by residents for possible inclusion in the capsule and helped make the final determinations of what the capsule would contain.

County Councilman Wes Hendricks said the work of “countless” people made the parade and time capsule burial possible.

On Oct. 1, the county’s time capsule buried in 1968 was unearthed. On Oct. 5, Gov. Henry McMaster helped officials publicly unveil its contents.

“That week became very special for many of us in Pickens County,” Hendricks said. “We got to relive memories of times past, of friends and loved ones, some of which are no longer with us. We laughed and we cried during that week.”

The new time capsule will give that experience to the children of today, he said.

“For the younger generation here today, you’ll know what the granite marker saying ‘Open in 2068’ means and you’ll know the priceless memories that will be relived in 2068,” Hendricks said.

He thanked those who contributed items to the capsule.

“You have preserved memories that will fade in time, yet resurface as this capsule will in 50 years,” Hendricks said.

Before the capsule was buried, residents were encouraged to sign the vault.

“Fifty years from now, you’ll be able to see your signature and that of your relatives,” Hendricks said.

Mountain View Funeral Home employees readied the capsule and its vault for airtight sealing and burial. The vault is guaranteed for 75 years.

“It’s time for us to make the opening line of our 2068 story,” Hendricks said.

Mountain View worked with county officials to bring the cost of the vault down, Costner said.

“They really did save the taxpayers a lot of money,” he said. “You look at the price of some of these vaults, it’s upwards of $20,000. They made a significant reduction in that so that we could preserve everything, guarantee it for 75 years and be able to look at those memories when we dig it back up again.”