Place in history: County preserves present with time capsule

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St. Johns County decided to commemorate its 200th anniversary as a county by placing various items of the day in a time capsule during a July 21 ceremony.

The time capsule will be stored away and the plan for it to be opened 50 years from now on July 21, 2071, as part of the county’s 250th celebration.

According to keynote speaker Dr. Thomas Graham, professor emeritus of history at Flagler College, St. Johns County was established as one of the first counties after Florida was commandeered by the United States in 1821.

“St. Johns County can continue to lead in many ways,” St. Johns County Commission Chairman Jeremiah Ray Blocker said.

Graham stated that when the county reached its current size the initial population was 13,000 and now it has surpassed 265,000.

“We are one of the state’s fastest growing counties,” Graham said. “Let’s look forward to the next 200 years.”

Several government departments and county organizations presented items to be placed in the capsule.

St. Augustine Beach Mayor Margaret England offered up a photo cube with images depicting the events that took place in 2021.

“What a better way to preserve memories then by locking them in a time capsule,” St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Isabelle Renault said.

Adding to the memories, Renault placed a photo of the county chamber years ago as well as one of the current board taken just a month earlier.

Looking back on the past 200 years, Richard Goldman, president/CEO of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau, decided to focus on the impact of Henry Flagler, who was known for coming down from the northern United States and building renowned hotels.

“Flagler brought with him the beginnings of modern tourism,” Goldman said.

His focus on tourism promoted him to place tourist guides of the beaches from the past year.

Medallions and flash drives with info stored on them were popular items given for the time capsule.

However, just about every person presented a flash drive followed it up with making a joke about not having the means to read what’s on the drive because of continued technological advancements that may make them obsolete in the future.

One of the medallions in the time capsule was put there by the Rev. John Tetlow, who is the pastor at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.

“It was here that the seeds of Christianity were planted on this soil,” Tetlow said.

St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick gave a badge to represent his department and off the sheriffs that came before him over the years.

“It’s been a privilege to serve the county for 200 years,” Hardwick said.

No one can no for sure what the future will look like 50 years from now, but one thing for sure is that those who open the time capsule will get a glimpse of who they are and who they have been as residents of St. Johns County.

“I’ve been in this county for 22 years, and we have seen a lot of growth and changes, but the character of the county has remained very much the same,” County commissioner Christian Whitehurst said. “People come here expecting a lot and I would imagine 50 years from now, no matter how many people are here, that they will be very much like the people that are here today.”

According to Whitehurst, he believes as a commissioner, he has the ability to make sure the county’s fabric remains the same by listening to the people that call it home.

“You have to have the history of the county in mind and understand that people have high expectations of their local government,” Whitehurst said. “I feel the burden of those expectations and want to strive to meet them. That’s why you run for these offices, so you can make a difference.”