Bamberg County seeks items for time capsule to open in 50 years

Bamberg County is asking residents to help fill a time capsule that will be sealed with the Bamberg County Courthouse Annex dedication and opened 50 years from now. County officials say the goal is to capture a snapshot of daily life in Bamberg County as it exists now, and the project is open to families, churches, community groups and businesses.

The capsule is tied to the county’s active government hub, where offices including Clerk to Council, County Treasurer, the Delinquent Tax Office and Voter Registration are housed. The annex is also identified as the Isaiah Odom Building, named in December 2020 to honor Isaiah Odom, who served 42 years on Bamberg County Council and was among South Carolina’s longest-serving council members.

The county’s rules are specific. Items must be small, all-ages appropriate and smaller than 7 by 9 inches, and they should not be folded to fit. Because space is limited, not every item submitted can be included, and materials will not be returned. County pages recommend black-and-white printed photographs if possible, while also inviting digital copies by email. Residents can send materials to Bamberg County c/o TIME CAPSULE PROJECT, P.O. Box 149, Bamberg, SC 29003.

What the county wants preserved is not just official paperwork but ordinary life in a small rural county. Suggested items include church bulletins, current school report cards, class rings, sports-team photos, tax bills, paycheck stubs with sensitive data removed, grocery or gas receipts showing current prices, letters to future descendants and small business items such as cards, brochures, magnets or pens. The county also offers writing prompts for people who want to leave a message to future generations.

The project has roots in the annex dedication era. An earlier companion Time Capsule Ambassador Program was designed for children ages 5 to 15 and was meant to promote history, heritage, patriotism, community involvement and education. In the 2016 materials, applications for that program were due Friday, June 10, 2016.

Bamberg County, formed in 1897 from Barnwell County and named for William Seaborn Bamberg and other members of the Bamberg family, had a 2020 population of 13,311, down from 15,987 in 2010. With the county seat in Bamberg and the original courthouse moved in 1952, the annex and the capsule together mark another turn in the county’s civic history. Residents who want to ask questions can call (803) 245-5191 or the time capsule line at (803) 245-7970 ext. 2.