Residents of Bismarck assemble to bury a time capsule in honor of the city’s 150th birthday

Bismarck, North Dakota – Residents of Bismarck gathered on Sunday in the capital city to bury objects that wouldn’t be seen for 49 years.

People gathered at Camp Hancock Historic Site in Bismarck as the city buried a time capsule to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Bismarck. This time capsule is unique in that it was created by Bismarck Career Academy students.

“We were able to reach out to the city of Bismarck and talk to them about what they would like us to do to be more involved in the community,” said Kyler Sabin, who worked on the time capsule.

The city claims that a comment and a recommendation made at a City Commission meeting in 2021 were the inspiration for this.

“It slowly snowballed into a reality. It seemed like a really good idea given the significance of this event and what a wonderful way to preserve history for the future,” said Jason Tomanek, assistant city administrator for the city of Bismarck.

The time capsule’s contents were gathered over the course of the city’s 150th anniversary. They won’t be spotted once more until 2072. The students who worked on this project believe that when it is discovered, people will learn about the modern Bismarck.

“I hope they learn about all of the important documents, of course. It just shows how far we have come from having that 50 years of knowledge. It just really helps us to know what did we do during that time,” said Sabin.

The attendees heard a 150-year history of the city with the intention of learning. The Bismarck Historical Society desires that visitors leave with a renewed sense of admiration for the city.

“I hope they appreciate Bismarck’s history. One of the things that we have been trying to highlight in the last year during the sesquicentennial is that Bismarck has a very rich and long history and we think people should know more about it, celebrate it, and be very proud of it,” said Tory Jackson, president of the Bismarck Historical Society.

Some attendees at the event might not be present when the time capsule is opened again, but the students who worked on the project say they intend to be there.

“I’m going to be 67. I plan to be here and help unbury the time capsule. It should be an amazing discovery and hopefully nothing was damaged on the inside,” said Sabin.

But for the time being, they will savor the moment and concentrate on it.

On May 14, 2072, the time capsule will be uncovered.