Fresno city officials past and present on Tuesday gathered at City Hall to open a time capsule from 1992, which included items such as a cassette tape, copies of the newspaper, books, the Fresno flag and dancing California raisin figurines.
The metal time capsule was stowed in the walls of Fresno City Hall for 30 years since the building was built.
Former Fresno Mayor Karen Humphrey and local historian Roger Taylor attended Tuesday’s unveiling and offered insight into the thought behind why the Fresno Historical Society chose each item.
“We were trying to represent as many common things in the city of Fresno as we could,” Humphrey said.
Humphrey said the unveiling took her back to when the Fresno City Hall building was newly built and opened and how big of a milestone that was for Fresno.
“Perspective makes you appreciate where you are and who you are more,” Humphrey said. “Fresno is a wonderful city.”
City officials placed new items in the capsule Tuesday to capture the current moment in Fresno’s history for future generations to open in 2052. Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer contributed a can of El Jefe beer brewed by Full Circle Brewery and a One Fresno coin. Also included was Fresno Grizzlies paraphernalia, a small Pride flag, an at-home COVID-19 rapid test and N95 mask, an iPhone 6s Plus and a flash drive.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, left, holds up a copy of the Fresno Bee with an article about the City of Fresno moving up to number 8 among top 10 cities in the state as former Fresno Mayor Karen Humphrey, right, and council member Luis Chavez look at another issue of the Bee as the contents of a 30-year old time capsule are revealed Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 in Fresno. A new time capsule will be locked away and retrieved in another 30 years. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Dancing Raisins figures are seen after being retrieved from a time capsule 30 years after being sealed inside a structural part of City Hall Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 in Fresno. A new time capsule will be locked away and retrieved in another 30 years. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Former Fresno Mayor Karen Humphrey, right, holds up a photo of the former Fresno City Hall, for current Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, left, with council member Luis Chavez in the background, one of many items retrieved from a time capsule locked inside a structural part of City Hall during a ceremony in front of City Hall Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 in Fresno. The contents had been buried for 30 years. A new time capsule will be locked away and retrieved in another 30 years. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Denis Grider with the City of Fresno helps remove a panel to reveal a 30-year old time capsule locked inside a structural part of City Hall Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 in Fresno. A new time capsule will be locked away and retrieved in another 30 years. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Items that had been sealed in a time capsule 30 years ago are seen on a table following a ceremony in front of City Hall Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 in Fresno. A new time capsule will be locked away and retrieved in another 30 years. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 5:51 PM.
Brianna Vaccari covers Fresno City Hall for The Bee, where she works to hold public officials accountable and shine a light on issues that deeply affect residents’ lives. She previously worked for The Bee’s sister paper, the Merced Sun-Star, and earned her bachelor’s degree from Fresno State.
