Items on display during ‘The Big Reveal Party’ held Thursday, Aug. 6, in Traer’s Taylor Park as part of the 2026 Winding Stairs Festival. During the event, hosted by the City of Traer and the Taylor Park Landscape & Beautification Committee, the contents of the community’s 1976 time capsule were officially unveiled to the public. PHOTO COURTESY OF POLISH UP TAYLOR PARK

TRAER – What would you want someone in the year 2076 to know about life in Traer today?

The Traer Historical Museum and the Taylor Park Landscape & Beautification Committee are busy preparing a new 50-year time capsule following the opening of the town’s 1976 time capsule this past August. The organizations are inviting the community to help fill the new time capsule with pieces of 2026 Traer.

Local businesses, families, clubs, schools, churches and community organizations are encouraged to participate. Contributed items could include photos, newspaper clippings, event programs, tickets and memorabilia, school mementos, church and organization materials, business memorabilia, family memories, hometown keepsakes and letters or messages addressed to future generations. The new time capsule will be buried in 2026 and opened in 2076.

In a message sent to the newspaper earlier this summer, North Tama alumnus Rick Greiner shared his thoughts regarding the significance of the Bicentennial time capsule buried back in 1976 when he was a student in Traer.

“I was at the ceremony when it was buried,” Greiner wrote. “In fact I was one of the people to lift the lid and put it onto the capsule – it was done by the North Tama student council members, I believe there were six of us lifting the lid and placing it.

“I remember at the time looking at the year 2026 (when it was) to be opened (again) and having a hard time, thinking, ‘Wow, that’s a long time from now’. But knowing what I know now, it really doesn’t seem that long ago.

“There was a large crowd for the ceremony when it was buried, I believe they let the entire K-12 out and we walked over to Taylor Park. Fantastic way to remember what life was (like) 50 years ago in rural Iowa. Something I now treasure having been part of it.”

Those who would like to contribute items towards the 2076 time capsule, are asked to place their contributions in a gallon-size or smaller Ziploc bag and turn it in to the Traer Historical Museum before Holiday Happenings, scheduled for Dec. 4-5 this year.

For more information, contact the Traer Historical Museum at 319-478-2346.