New Time Capsule to be Buried in Middleburgh Will Show What Life Was Like in Middleburgh in 2025

MIDDLEBURGH - A time capsule with items from 2025 will be buried in Memorial Park on Main Street in Middleburgh in October.

The time capsule will include pictures of local buildings, menus, and other items that are similar to those in a time capsule that was unearthed last summer, said Melanie Laraway, Middleburgh village clerk. Ms. Laraway, along with deputy clerk Becky Kelley, is heading the effort to find items to put in the time capsule.

The time capsule, Ms. Laraway said, will be buried on the Friday before the October Festival, October 10. It will be buried in the same spot in the Memorial Park and will duplicate what was in the original so the public "will have a 50-year picture" of the village. The items will include pictures of buildings, menus, and other item to show people "what was going on." 

She noted that most of the buildings are still standing as in 1997, though some have new businesses in them.

Ms. Laraway will use a sealer machine to seal so got moisture will not get in the items.

Funeral director Matt Coltrain said a new and better coffin could be used or the same box may be used with new sealant.

If you have ideas for items contact the village office at 518-827-5143.

She said that some new technology may be buried. "Maybe a flash drive and hopefully 25 years form now we are still using flash drives," Ms. Laraway said.

"We are open to any ideas."

The deadline for ideas it the middle of September .

The former time capsule was buried on October 11, 1997.

Last August, Middleburgh village officials traveled back in time to that date when they unearthed and opened a time capsule that was buried before the Fall Festival parade more than 26 years ago. The time capsule, a marble internment box donated by Joe Spink, had been buried in upper Memorial Park. The items are still on display at the village hall on Main Street.

About a dozen people gathered to watch Mayor Tim Knight (who was four years old when the time capsule was buried), Ms. Laraway, and Drew Adams, and others open the same vault and display the contents which included a 1997 Middleburgh Central School yearbook, pictures of businesses and homes in the village, a Middleburgh Telephone phone book (remember those), new car brochures form Skinner Chevrolet, menus from Mrs. K's Kitchen and Hubie's (a cheeseburger was $2.85 and an eight-cut pizza was $7.50), various newspapers, baseball cards, a Mets Kids Club membership, a 1996 quarter, and a miniature red Ferrari race car.

Though it has been barely more than 26 years, many of the buildings in the pictures have changes a great deal or are no longing standing.

The pictures included: St. Catherine's Catholic Church (now Our Lady of the Valley), Main Street from White Insurance (now Four Star Realty Group), Main Street from the chiropractor's (demolished and replaced by a new Stewart's Shop), the Middleburgh town hall (on Railroad Avenue, now abandoned), the "new" skating rink at Badgley Park, a ticket stub from the retirement dinner for Sheriff Harvey Stoddard, Main Street from Apple Barrel (now Apple Foods), Main Street from Wayman's Antiques (now Valley View Liquidators), the former 5&10 (closed in July 1997 and now the Everything Shoppe), J.L. White Insurance (now Four Star), the post office (now with an "H" at the end of Middleburgh), Stewart's (now Middleburgh Chiropractic), the village hall, the Lutheran Church, the former Valley theater (pictured with the old marquee), 68 Wells Wells Avenue (now 127 Wells and without the big tree in front which came down this May), the high school (without the big trees in front), Central National Bank (demolished to make way for the new Stewart's and NBT Bank). the Middleburgh Telephone Building, the library (now vacant and moved to Main Street and Baker Avenue), add the Methodist Church.

There were also pictures of the village board: Bill Andrew, Russ Strong, Clerk Janet Mayer (who recently passed away), Mayor Art Wargo, Ed Guntert, and Dean Nunamann. The school board: Kitty Heiser, Roger Maxwell, President Jackie Donegan, John Morse, and Steve LaMont. The town board: James Buzon, Richard Lawyer, Bob Mau, attorney Raynor Duncombe, Supervisor Dick Hanson, Gary Hayes, highway superintendent Roger Becker, Clerk Brenda Lawyer, and assessor Phyllis Crewell.

As you may or may not know, I put the time capsule together 26 years ago. Many people suggested opening the time capsule after 50 years, but I stuck with 25 (it turned out to be 26) because I figured it would it would be more interesting with some people still alive to remember. As it turned out, many of the buildings pictured have changed or been taken down completely and most of the village, town and school leaders are no longer with us.

I inserted a typewritten letter with the time capsule, it read in part,

"This time capsule was buried in honor of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Town of Middleburgh. Hopefully it will give you a snapshot of what Middleburgh was like 25 years go when it was buried in a simple ceremony on October 11, 1997. The Middleburgh of 1997 is enjoying a kind of rebirth, Within the past few months, plans have been announced for a new library on Main Street, the old Valley Theater has been sold and is being renovated, the Huntersland fire department celebrated its 50th anniversary this summer and a skating rink has been built by the Rotary across from the Town Hall. 

The year, though, has not been without its tragedies. The old 5&10 closed on Main Street this summer. A new owner has been hoped for but none yet has been found. There was also a murder on Railroad Avenue during the spring. The killers may face the death penalty. Despite such trying times as the flood of January 1996, Middleburgh has been resilient...

The village has one bank, Central National. The Middleburgh Diner, Mrs. K's Hubie's, the Peking Chinese restaurant, the Turtle Rock Cafe, and Memories are the eating places. The bars are Kelley's on Main Street and BJ's on Railroad Avenue.

Grand Union is the local grocery store and Stewart's and Red Barrel are convenience stores. Currently, gas is $1.33 a gallon and milk is $1.20 a half gallon, a daily paper 50-cents and a weekly paper 60-cents.

We hope that when this time capsule is opened, Middleburgh is as beautiful an area as it is today.

The celebration committee started working in the fall of 1996 to plan the events of this year. We did it because we believe in the community of Middleburgh which has prospered through war, raids, depression,, and floods due to the strength of its people."

David Avitabile