A 900-pound time capsule commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence has been sealed and sent to Philadelphia, where it will be buried on July 4, 2026, and opened 250 years later in 2276.
Created under a 2016 law establishing the America 250 Commission, the airtight and watertight stainless-steel capsule contains contributions from all 50 states, the five U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and the three branches of the federal government.
Maine’s contribution includes a letter from Gov. Janet Mills to future generations, the poem This Home We Carry by Maine Poet Laureate Julia Bouwsma, a North Atlantic right whale bone, postcards featuring Maine maps from Portland’s Osher Map Library, and a woven Wabanaki bookmark.
Other states contributed a wide range of items, from historical documents and letters to coins, artwork, and even an Arkansas diamond. The capsule’s contents are designed to preserve a snapshot of America in 2026, reflecting both the nation’s history and hopes for the future.
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