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Mayor A. George Pradel, Naperville City Council, DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom and the Naperville Heritage Society hosted the unsealing and opening of a 1939 time capsule on Monday, October 26 in Council Chambers of the Naperville Municipal Center. The capsule, found behind a bronze plaque in a granite stone in Central Park, is believed to have been placed there in honor of DuPage County’s 100th anniversary. Central Park was the chosen location for the monument in 1939 as the county’s first courthouse and county business were conducted there.
Beginning Thursday, October 29, Naper Settlement will have two display cases set up at 10 a.m. for viewing of the time capsule's contents. The items will be on display in the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center through November and most of December.
The sealed time capsule is displayed alongside fragments that came off during its removal from the granite stone in which it was held for 70 years.
Residents discussed the possibilities contained within the time capsule with Naper Settlement Research Associate Bryan Ogg (left) prior to the opening.
Mayor A. George Pradel shared with the audience his thoughts about what might be contained in the time capsule.
DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom discussed the history of DuPage County.
Residents anxiously await the opening of the time capsule.
Naperville Heritage Society Board President Chris Birck shared even more history of the county and region.
(From left) Mayor A. George Pradel, DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom and Naper Settlement Research Associate Bryan Ogg open the Time Capsule as Naper Settlement Chief Curator Louise Howard and Director of Preservation Services Debbie Grinnell watch on the projection screen in Council Chambers.
Mayor Pradel shows off the contents of the time capsule immediately after its opening.
Mayor Pradel and Chairman Schillerstrom examine a document through a magnifying glass.
Councilman Grant Wehrli presents Naper Settlement Executive Director Peggy Frank with a trophy presented to his great grandfather Win Knoch for his service as Executive Chairman of the DuPage County Centennial Celebration.
The trophy presented by Councilman Wehrli to Naper Settlement Executive Director Frank.
A young resident examines some of the contents of the time capsule.
Council Chambers was filled with intrigued residents.
Some of the contents found within the time capsule:
The biggest mystery of the evening was how a calendar dated January 1946 found its way into the time capsule, which was supposedly sealed in 1939.
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