50 years ago Hildebran buried a time capsule. Its contents will be revealed Saturday
The Hildebran cruise-in this week is expected to be a special one.
The town of Hildebran is sponsoring the event Saturday at the Albert Parkhurst Municipal Complex parking lot, located at 202 S. Center St., Hildebran. The event is expected to kick off at 5 p.m.
In addition to the classic cars, live music by The Night Move Band and homemade ice cream, the town will reveal items that were buried in a 1976 time capsule as part of the country’s bicentennial celebration.
Current Hildebran Mayor Wendell Hildebrand was 13 years old when a time capsule was buried in the town to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. in 1976. Hildebrand is the boy in the center of this photo holding flowers.
The contents of the time capsule will be revealed at about 6 p.m., said Mayor Wendell Hildebrand.
At 13 years old, Hildebrand was there when the time capsule was buried in November 1976.
The capsule contained items from various local churches and organizations, Hildebrand said. A News Herald column by Ted Hall in the Nov. 22, 1976, edition prophesized that one of the children who was there at the capsule burial would become mayor of the town and be in his early 60s when the time capsule was opened 50 years later.
The town of Hildebran will hold a cruise-in Saturday with fireworks and food and the opening of a time capsule from 1976.
Hildebrand appears to have fulfilled that prophecy, as he is 63 years old and was at the time capsule burial. He was pictured in a News Herald photo of the event, holding flowers and looking on as then-Mayor Albert Parkhurst buried the time capsule.
In the column, Hall said those responsible for putting the items in the capsule took the task seriously and what is in there was meant to inform people about eastern Burke County in 1976.
Hall said the people of the area in 2026 won’t know of the “excitement and activity that gripped the quiet community on the day the capsule was buried.”
A letter signed by the council was included in the time capsule written by Parkhurst’s wife, Marie, Hall said in the column.
The letter says, in part, “You may be products of progress. You may be victims of suffering. But you are reading the history of a community of pride, love and unity.
“We hope as you unfold the pages and take from this capsule the replicas of Hildebran 1976 that you are as happy and civic minded a group as those who took the time and effort to give bits of themselves to you today.
“If you take the time to read between the written lines before you, you will know the love that is placed in this small box for you to draw from.”
Hildebrand said the time capsule was recently dug up and opened to make sure the items inside had survived. He said what they found was soggy, so it’s been laid out to dry before Saturday’s event.
As for revealing the contents of the time capsule at the upcoming cruise-in, Hildebrand said they wanted to do it when there were a lot of people at an event with fireworks, like the Memorial Day celebration. Hildebrand said everybody else sets off fireworks on the Fourth of July, so Hildebrand decided to do it on Memorial Day.
The cruise-ins are planned and organized by Hildebran Heritage and Development Association.
In addition to classic cars, live music and Rex's homemade ice cream, Billy Bob’s Hot Dog and Hamburger Cart will have food for sale.
Fireworks will be set off at dusk, according to the association.
