Richmond celebrates nation’s 250th by unearthing part of the past

RICHMOND -- The opening of a time capsule established in 1976 and a dedication in memory of a community-minded icon were highlights of a special celebration held June 28 at Richmond Park in observance of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The Richmond Lions Club, in partnership with the Richmond Historical Society, hosted a free community picnic that brought together residents and visitors for an afternoon of food, inflatables for children to enjoy and local history.

Richmond Lions Club President Adam Richardson extended the welcome to the crowd.

“This year we celebrate a remarkable milestone -- the 250th birthday of America,” Richardson began. “Our nation was born on the ideals of freedom, hard work, service and neighbors helping neighbors. While America has grown and changed, those values are still strongest in places like this,” he said. “There’s something special about living in Richmond. Here, people know your name, we celebrate each other’s successes, we lend a hand in the hard times, and we gather together because we want to, not because we have to,” he added.

Richardson’s opening remarks included the acknowledgment of a longtime club member.

“Communities like ours remind us that the strength of America has never just come from our biggest cities -- it comes from the hometowns where people invest in the places they live. As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, we’re also reminded that every generation leaves behind something for the next,” Richardson continued. “Today we have that privilege of honoring someone who did exactly that.

“Kenny McConnell was known for many things in Richmond -- his kindness, his quirky sense of humor and the business his family built, McConnell’s Meat Market. It remains a cornerstone of our community,” he said.

“As the world grew bigger and faster, Kenny stayed committed to the values of small-town America, always giving back and supporting those around him,” Richardson pointed out. “A dedicated member of the Richmond Lions Club for many years, Kenny exemplified service and community spirit. In his honor, the Richmond Lions Club proudly dedicates this grill in his memory. May all who use it be reminded of the lasting difference one person can make in the lives of others and the strength of a community. May God bless our community, the people who make it special and the memories we continue to create together.”

The dedication of the grill that was a past construction project of the club involved the presence of many McConnell family members, including his widow, Linda, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. McConnell died Oct. 28, 2023, as the age of 87.

The opening of a time capsule established by the Richmond Historical Society during the country’s bicentennial observance 50 years ago was led by John Jones, its president. It was created in 1976 when Jones was a senior at the former Jefferson Union High School.

“We’re celebrating an important anniversary in not only the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation, but also the Crew House Museum is 200 years old,” Jones told the audience, referring to the museum located on Main Street and run by the historical society. He invited anyone interested to visit the facility with summer open houses from noon to 4 p.m. on July 12, July 26, Aug. 2 and Aug. 16. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

“There is a lot of Richmond memorabilia in there, we have a lot of Civil War history, Morgan’s Raiders came through here, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad that helped free slaves during the Civil War, we have a lot of memorabilia from the Legion and other events that happened in and around Richmond and the upstairs rooms are dedicated to items from Jefferson Union High School,” Jones said in describing the museum’s varied offerings.

The time capsule was in memory of Don Thompson, the society’s first president and the “go-to guy for Richmond history,” according to Jones, who opened the time capsule that contained a typewritten inventory list of the 50 items inside it.

“I have no idea what’s in this thing so it should be a fun experience,” Jones said as he began the process of sharing its contents with the audience.

While it had items from 1976, it became obvious before too long that the time capsule had been added to through the years and did not contain things exclusive to that year. A newspaper article from September 1998 explained the time capsule was being sealed at the historical society’s Quaker Day festival that year with intentions of being reopened on Quaker Day 2026.

A July 4, 1976, edition of the Sunday Herald-Star was inside the time capsule, with the front-page headline proclaiming “Happy Birthday America -- Americans Blow Out 200 Candles.” The 80-page edition in eight sections cost 25 cents.

Also from 1976 was a collector’s calendar of 1776-1976 featuring early scenes of Richmond; a program from the Community Homecoming Festival held July 9-10; and a souvenir banner of Richmond.

Other contents included a variety of photos and newspaper articles relevant to Richmond; business cards of Richmond businesses; a phone book; a Polaroid land camera; a photo album of the Richmond City Building and city officials; a Time magazine bicentennial issue; and a portion of brick made in 1861 and removed from the then Richmond United Methodist Church because of the construction of the kitchen/office wing during the summer of 1998.

Jones explained that the items removed from the time capsule will be on display, and a new time capsule will be dedicated on Quaker Day, set for Sept. 26. The historical society will be working on what to include in the new time capsule between now and that annual festival as a historical gesture to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial. The new time capsule will be opened in 2076.

The time capsule contents will be discussed when the historical society holds its next meeting at the Crew House on July 21 at 7 p.m.