Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, August 1, 2018
(BEDFORD) - Fifty years ago, letters were sold in order to raise funds to send the Bedford High School Band to San Antonio, Texas to preform in the HemisFair Parade.
HemisFair 1968 was a World's Fair held in San Antonio, Texas, from April 6 through October 6, 1968.
Those letters were then placed in a time capsule and to be opened 50 years later: 2018.
"There were 125 families to submit letters... Some had more than one letter. Some wrote two and some wrote three or four- which was probably for their descendants, perhaps," said Kay Emery, Lawrence County Museum of History Volunteer.
Kay has been working with Shirley Ingalls and Jean Williams to find the letter writers or their families to invite them to the capsule opening ceremony that is to take place on the exact date the capsule was sealed fifty years ago, August 9th.
According to Kay, Shirley Ingalls has been the one to keep this date on the calendar all these 50 years as she was a BHS Band parent in 1968.
With their combined knowledge of old Bedford, current Bedford and some help from the internet, they have tracked down most of the writers and/or their family members.
They have 15 names left to track down and deliver the exciting news (names are listed below).
"I got a cute letter the other day. I had written to 5 people... And I heard from the one in Illinois. He wrote me back and said that he was an eighth grader and wrote this letter. And that he very much wanted me to send him this letter," Kay said.
"He said he included three packets of seeds just in case the earth was desolate when he opened it - which, doesn't that sound like a 13-year-old boy?" she laughed.
He also put in a crisp dollar bill and, of course, a letter to his descendants.
The Lawrence County Museum is expecting a great turn out for the opening of the time capsule on August 9th at 2 p.m. at the Lawrence County Museum.
Those that can't make it to retrieve their letter will be able to pick them up on the first Friday of every month at the Lawrence County Museum from Kay.
Remaining writers/family to be contacted:
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