Adams County Chamber seeks letters, photos for 250th time capsule

The Adams County Chamber of Commerce asked current members to help decide what Adams County looks like when future residents open a 250th anniversary time capsule in 2076. The project, done with the Adams County 250th Committee, will preserve a snapshot of local business and community life in 2026.

The invitation is limited to chamber members, and the submission rules are straightforward: one letter and one photograph per business. The letter may be no longer than one sheet of 8.5-by-11-inch paper, front and back, and each business may submit one photo no larger than 4-by-6 inches. The chamber wants members to use the letter to describe their history, what they do, who they serve, the milestones they have reached and the role they play in Adams County’s economy and civic life.

The deadline is June 30, 2026. Members can send materials by email or drop them off at the chamber office at 107 East Walnut Street in West Union. The Adams County 250th Committee may decline or exclude anything it finds inappropriate, offensive or inconsistent with the purpose of the project.

America250-Ohio is leading the state’s 2026 celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, and the national America250 organization sets July 4, 2026, as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Ohio’s semiquincentennial plans also include a statewide time-capsule collection intended to represent the state in 2026 and be opened in 2276.

The county received a $5,000 America 250-Ohio grant in 2025 for education and museum-related commemorations, and countywide programming included a kickoff event in West Union in June 2026. Destination Gettysburg’s Adams County 250th information includes volunteering, hosting events and committee participation during the 2026 observance.

Founded in 1989, the chamber is a member-driven business advocate focused on improving the county’s physical and economic environment.