City Collects Letters for Jacksonville Bicentennial Time Capsule by March 2

The City of Jacksonville is asking residents to capture the present for future generations by submitting letters for a bicentennial time capsule. Completed letters, sealed in special preservation envelopes, must be turned in by Monday, March 2, 2026, ahead of a planned burial sometime this spring to mark the city’s 200th birthday.

Preservation envelopes cost $20 each and officials say they are necessary to keep letters intact over time. Envelopes are available for pickup at the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, located at 155 West Morton. Organizers have stressed that envelopes must be completed before the March 2 deadline so the capsule can be prepared and sealed on schedule.

Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau representative Brittany Henry has urged residents to submit letters soon and emphasized the project belongs to the entire community. Organizers are hoping for a strong turnout that reflects Morgan County’s institutions and neighborhoods.

City leaders have framed the project as an opportunity to record everyday life and local milestones. Officials suggest letters include personal stories, reflections on life in present-day Jacksonville, and milestones within local organizations, schools, or businesses. Early submissions already reflect that range: some writers have addressed letters to themselves or to children and grandchildren, churches have submitted letters about their congregations, and some residents have described food and fuel prices as part of their snapshot of daily life.

Jacksonville Mayor Andy Ezard framed the capsule as a civic moment: "This is our chance to speak directly to the future, sharing who we are, what we value, and what this moment in Jacksonville’s history means to us." The mayor’s statement underscores the civic and civic-history aims behind the push for wide community participation.

Practical questions remain for contributors. The city and partner organizations have not released a public schedule for the capsule burial beyond a general plan to inter it this spring, nor have they specified an opening date or the precise burial site. Submission guidelines and the mechanics of returning completed envelopes have not been fully detailed in public notices; residents should ask the Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, the City of Jacksonville, or the Chamber for instructions before preparing materials.

For residents, the time capsule offers a low-barrier way to shape how Jacksonville’s bicentennial is remembered: a single handwritten page or an organizational milestone can become a primary source for future people studying life in Morgan County in 2026. To participate, pick up a $20 preservation envelope at the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, 155 West Morton, complete the letter per organizers’ guidance, and submit it by Monday, March 2, 2026; expect the city to proceed with burying the capsule later this spring.