Time capsule to remember Nevada’s Sesquicentennial

In a letter to Nevada’s future leader, Gov. Brian Sandoval expressed his delight in serving in the state’s top office and outlined the activities and effort put into celebrating the sesquicentennial last year.

“I told the person that no matter what the state looks like in 50 years, I know they will have the same sense of pride that we all do,” Sandoval said. “This is a very special place. You all have a piece of this. Every Nevadan had a piece of the sesquicentennial.”

Sandoval’s letter was among dozens of items placed in a time capsule that will be buried on the Capitol lawn to be opened on Oct. 31, 2064.

“We have preserved a Nevada they will be proud of,” he said. “They will look back and say, ‘They got it right.’”

Among the items included in the capsule were the commemorative belt buckle, copper medallions, a copy of the official poem, “Dame Nevada,” lapel pins, T-shirts and flash drives of Nevadans stories, Nevadan authors and the planning committee report.

Janet Geary, publisher of Nevada Magazine, was pleased to see eight issues included in the capsule.

“We’re very excited,” she said. “We did the history from before statehood until now. It’s really an honor for us to be included.”

A flash drive with a video created by Nevada Photo Source explains the proper pronunciation of “sesquicentennial.”

However, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki pointed out it may not be as useful during the 200-year celebration.

“It’s a lot easier to say bicentennial,” he said.

Nevada’s Native American history was also enclosed, with a list of tribes, an Indian Territory brochure, a Stewart Indian School DVD and a program from the Sesquicentennial Indian Princess reception.

“Even if you look back at the last 50 years, we’ve come so far as Native people and tribal governments in the state,” said Sherry Rupert, executive director of the Nevada Indian Commission. “We can show the people in 2064 how far we’ve progressed.”

Before interring the capsule, Sandoval thanked the NV 150 Commission for its work during the last year.

“You’ve given Nevada a gift,” he said. “You’ve preserved history and made history at the same time.”