Contra Costa County Board Of Supervisors Opens 58-Year-Old Time Capsule, Will Bury Another One

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors this week opened a 58-year-old time capsule that was buried on September 26, 1964 under the prior Administration Building at 651 Pine Street in Martinez.

“We were excited to see what items were preserved in the old time capsule and to accept materials from all five Board Members as well as County departments for the new Administration Building time capsule,” said Board Chair Supervisor Karen Mitchoff.

The new time capsule will be placed in a vault at 1025 Escobar Street and opened in 2072.

The 1964 capsule contained a diverse collection of artifacts. Some of the unearthed items included the County’s 1964 annual report, predictions from the City of Martinez, emergency numbers for fire, police, and the County, a picture of the building maintenance staff, a County office telephone directory, directions on how to operate a push-button telephone, a photo of the first Contra Costa Courthouse built in 1855 and demolished in 1903, a copy of the special edition dedication of the Administration Building published in the Morning News-Gazette on September 25, 1964, and a letter from the 1960s County Administrator Joseph P. McBrien. The items will be placed on a history wall in the new Administration Building at 1025 Escobar Street.

At the October 4, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting, the County Board of Supervisors and departments also included items for the new time capsule to be opened in 50 years.

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff included a letter highlighting the significant impacts of the pandemic and commenting: “My hope and wish are that 50 years from now, we will have returned to a time when people are respectful, more courteous, and more understanding of different points of view.” Her letter also identified major issues affecting Contra Costa County including the Delta, transportation, housing, and public service. Mitchoff included letters from each city in her district and photos of their council members. All cities provided pins, Clayton provided a pen, and Pleasant Hill provided a stamp from this year’s library opening.

Supervisor Federal Glover said, “This is an opportunity to reflect where the County has been in the last several decades. So, I included some history in terms of myself, in that I am the first African American to be a part of the Board of Supervisors.” Some items that Supervisor Glover included were pins from the cities, brochures, and information on the widening of Highway 4, BART coming into the County system, E-BART, community colleges, refineries, the Zero Tolerance initiative against Domestic Violence, electrifying of housing through the Sustainability Committee, the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, and the Youth Summits.

Supervisor John Gioia’s letter to the future indicated, “We faced enormous challenges. We persevered. We had faith in our young people and future leaders to protect and fight for our future. We know you will have the wisdom and the will to continue the fight for our planet and our communities.” Supervisor Gioia included a CD about the Contra Costa Historical Society, a COVID home test kit, an N-95 mask, a San Francisco Bay Trail Map with a note hoping the trail would be fully built, a T-Shirt from the 5th annual Richmond Indigenous Peoples Walk to show respect for our native inhabitants, a T-Shirt from a recent Coastal Clean-Up Day, a “Racism is a Public Health Crisis” lapel pin, and a lapel pin of the original El Cerrito High School which Supervisor Gioia attended.

Supervisor Candace Andersen’s items included letters from Danville, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, and San Ramon. She also wrote a letter describing her role as County Supervisor, as well as the priorities and issues confronting District 2. Supervisor Andersen included a Blackhawk Bulletin, photos of the Alamo Municipal Advisory Council, and a PowerPoint presentation about District 2. “I also included our holiday card, which is a picture of my staff because they are an integral part of what we do in serving the community,” said Supervisor Anderson.

Supervisor Diane Burgis said, “This is a moment where you get to talk to people in the future, and it made me philosophical and introspective. The capsule that we are opening today was set up a year before I was born, and so much turbulence was going on in the world at that time, and as much as things have changed, they haven’t.” Burgis included a letter addressing the current situation in District 3, the County, and the world, background on District 3 and far east County, and the priorities and issues in 2022. Supervisor Burgis added, “I closed the letter with a message to my future loved ones and encouraged people to continue to give and serve to make the world a better place. We must be optimistic and look forward to the progress that has gone on in the world.” Supervisor Burgis also included a bio, a photo with her staff, and information from Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, and Oakley. Recent editions of local papers, brochures of the Future of the Diablo Valley Conference, and the Delta Counties Coalition memorabilia were also included.