TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson Museum of Art is taking Tucson back in time to celebrate 250+ years of the city.
The museum is opening a time capsule Wednesday early evening with a glimpse into life in the 1970s.
The original time capsule was buried on December 11, 1976 with artifacts and memorabilia pointing to Tucson's heritage.
50 years ago, on Tucson 200th birthday, members from the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission buried this time capsule, and until Wednesday evening's reveal, the capsule's contents were a secret.
Among those items were several letters addressed to Tucsonans as a group with one specific envelope reading "For my family."
Longtime Tucsonan Maria Elena Peterson recognized the handwriting immediately as her late father Thomas "Tito" Peterson Jr. He was on the Historical Commission's time capsule board.
“My mom had always told us that my dad had put some special artifacts in the time capsule that we’re really excited to find out what they were,” she said.
The capsule also holding her father's fishing license, mayoral proclamations, and a phone book.
“The intention behind it was purposeful," said Anne Breckenridge Barrett Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block Director and CEO. "It was deliberate. People came together and made decisions about what to collect to represent them at that point and time."
This capsule inspired the museum and Maria Peterson to—in the future— create time capsules for the next generation of Tucsonans.
“The fact that he wrote us a beautiful letter is just priceless, and it inspires me to do the same for my children and grandchildren and do my own time capsule,” Peterson said.
The collection will be on display at the Tucson Museum of Art for the next year. After that, it will go back to the Tucson Pima County Historical Commission.
A full list of the items will be on the Tucson 250+ website.
On Saturday, Tucson Museum of Art is inviting the community to a block party at their Historic Block.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
