Another 50 years
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 12:43 p.m., February 21, 2008
Updated 12:43 p.m., February 21, 2008
Emporia’s sesquicentennial committee officially ended two years of effort when they sealed a selection of souvenirs and memorabilia into a vault Wednesday evening at the W.L. White Auditorium.
For three hours before the ceremony, committee members were hosts for the public to view a display of items that were to be sealed into the vault, which will be opened in 2056.
Ed Rathke, who has been involved extensively with the sesquicentennial celebration, said that the committee that will be in charge of the bicentennial activities will open the vault a year early, to help in planning the 2057 events.
Eight tables were needed to display the artifacts for the vault, and another set of tables held excess items that could not be included because of space limitations.
The bicentennial committee in mid-century will find items representing many categories of life in Emporia in the present, and a number of items dating back to the 1800’s. Binders full of photographs and postcards, clothing, food, drawings and photos of schools and churches, a collection of architectural representations, and an assortment of artifacts from Emporia State University were among the items spread on the tables.
Calendars with photographs of antique and current cars, a cell phone and other information about technology was included, as was a history of Newman Regional Health.
Sports was well-represented with memorabilia from Emporia’s successful athletes. NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer provided an autographed photo for the collection, which also includes photos and memorabilia from national champion steer-wrestler Jason Lahr, PGA tournament winner J.L. Lewis, Kansas City Chiefs player John Lohmeyer, and others.
Police, the fire department, and ESU provided wrapped gifts to be opened in the future.
“We don’t know what’s in them,” said Evora Wheeler, who with Ron Slaymaker served as co-chair for the sesquicentennial.
A fabric banner from the 1957 centennial, as well as many items dating back to the 1800s also were placed in the vault. The safe that had held artifacts from the 1957 celebration was almost empty when it was opened in April 2006.
The committee had asked area residents to contribute artifacts to be sealed in the vault. Items that could not be fit into the vault have been given to the Lyon County Historical Society for its archives.
“Anyone who had anything to put into the vault is not being left out,” Wheeler said.
A list of the items that have been put in the archives was placed in the vault for future generations to see.
Slaymaker and Wheeler gave brief recaps of the year of sesquicentennial activities, and said they were exceptionally pleased with their committee’s hard work and the community’s response to their efforts.
“I think we set the bar pretty high for you younger folks who are here,” Slaymaker teased the younger members of the small audience.
City commissioner Bob Agler filled in for Mayor Julie Johnson, who had been scheduled to open the formal vault-sealing but was sick at home Wednesday evening.
Greg Johnson of Midwest Locksmith helped Slaymaker close the massive vault doors, and set the combination before handing it to Lyon County Clerk Karen Hartenbower.
Hartenbower placed the combination into an election envelope, sealed it with tamperproof tape and stamped it several times with a seal before handing it to City Clerk Susan Mendoza.
Mendoza took the envelope to the city’s safe after the ceremony.