Sunday, February 14, 2010
Lost Memphis The Mid-South Fair Time Capsule — Missing!
Posted by Vance Lauderdale on Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 9:19 PM
- Time Capsule "Grave" Today
Buried in 1956, the "capsule" was basically a large glass jar crammed with all sorts of things that fair officials thought Memphians of the future would enjoy when (or IF) they dug the thing up 100 years later — in 2056. I can't remember the exact contents, though I'm sure it was all very interesting stufff.
But what really made this time capsule unusual was the fact that, according to newspaper accounts at the time, the jar was sealed with a "radioactive substance."
Uh, oh.
Well, now my pal Angela Freeman Parks tells me that the time capsule has gone missing:
"Vance, THE TIME CAPSULE IS GONE!!! My husband just drove by the old fairgrounds ... not only is the Pippin gone. But the time capsule buried on that site in 1956 and to be opened in 2056, containing a glimpse into the world from the opening of the fair in 1856 to 1956. All that remains is fresh concrete."
Sure enough, as you can see from the photo I took of the area today, she's right.
Hmmm, this just might be a problem. I don't know who took it, or where it is right now. But I sure hope the culprits wore lead gloves and kept a geiger counter handy while they were doing it.
The picture below shows the nice monument that marked the spot until recently.
- The same spot last year
Comments (17)
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The Capsule is probably still buried. I am sure some overzealous developer just couldn't resist bulldozing the monument.
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We heard about this on Friday but were still too stunned over the betrayal by our supposed partner, Steve Mulroy, to even contemplate it... Jim Rout dug up the other capsule (Libertyland's Time Capsule) at the same time they stole the Memphis Liberty Bell. This story has legs! In fact, we already have a movie with a Steve Mulroy original song (from before he became a politician and turned on us) and music by the Zippin Pippins all-girl band to sum up our 5-year effort -- Enjoy and share w/your friends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_IzY82H1aM
It appears that Denise is attempting to raise funds to put Steve Mulroy in the next time capsule.
I turned up a 2008 Commercial Appeal article that said the time capsule would be unearthed and moved to the Mid-South Fair's new location, wherever that would be. But I never saw a follow-up story, so don't know if the thing is still in the ground or not, and and right now I lack the gumption to look into it.
But one way to lose a time capsule is to take away the marker that says "Dig Here in 100 Years" so if they took away the monument, and left the capsule in place, well that's just not very smart.
It would explain that rumor about the new attraction being added to the fair this year- pay 25 cents to see the "Amazing, Glow in the Dark Mayor" or was it 50 foot tall demolition subcontractor.
I will be heartbroken if somebody w/ L'il Film Fest doesn't use this as part of the plot for a monster movie.
Tom Guleff please don't tar me with the Mulroy brush -- the Youtube movie is free -- no fundraising going on here, if I knew how to do that I would be able to hire a lawyer.
Chris Davis you have it backwards -- Mike McCarthy is ripping off The Frogster's three-year series of Sivad art happenings on South Main to cut him out of the Lil Film Fest. Yes, we have been screwed several ways, as often happens with artists!
It's all a gub'mint plot ... they have recovered the "radioactive" capsule and returned it to Nevada. Maybe we should check that the Zoo's capsule is still there ... they could look for the bones of "Natch" while they are digging.
There was also a time capsule buried in Court Square in December 1986 to commemorate Tennessee's Homecoming (remember that?) and it was unearthed during the 2004 remodeling. It sits in the general services warehouse, I believe.
I have created a Google Earth KMZ file which marks the location of the time capsule. You can clearly see the marker and its shadow. Historical Google Earth imagery shows a car parked next to the marker at one point... https://sites.google.com/site/mclipsco/Hom…
The time capsule was dug up and taken to an undisclosed location. I talked to witnesses who saw it being unearthed. But because Jim Rout is an ex-mayor, like all Memphis politicians, he can run roughshod over Memphis history and culture.
http://www.savethepippin.com/
I once rode in an elevator with Jim Rout. It wasn't roughshod at all, and I left without his footprint on my back, thanks very much.
That would be interesting ... a list of area time capsules!! Just watching The History Channel's show "Life After People" and they discussing about how time capsules are forgotten. There is one at McDonald's in Parkway Village β go figure.
