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- A time capsule with items from all 50 states will be buried.
- The capsule, to be opened in 2276, marks America's 250th anniversary.
- Ceremony attendees reflected on future generations and Philadelphia's future significance.
PHILADELPHIA — Don't open this until 2276: a time capsule with items from all 50 U.S. states and five territories is being buried in Philadelphia on America's 250th anniversary.
The goal is for the Americans of the future to open this capsule on the nation's 500th anniversary — July 4, 2276.
The significance of the event, and thoughts of the nation's distant future, drew emotion from several who attended.
"Full of emotions, really, just thinking about 250 years from now what the city's going to look like, what Philadelphia's going to look like," said Johnathan Weissman, who visited the ceremony with his daughter.
"The meaning behind it, for future generations, it's just so meaningful," said Delsea Duffer, who was visiting from Atlanta.
The burial ceremony took place on Independence Mall and an art installation based on Ben Franklin's "Join or Die" cartoon will be placed over top of it.
Items in the time capsule from across the country and territories include a Philadelphia Phillies lineup card, a letter from Gov. Josh Shapiro, an archival booklet of Pennsylvania's history, a stainless steel plaque from New Jersey and handwritten notes from 12 Delaware residents about what The First State means to them.
The capsule is designed to repel water and is built to last two and a half centuries.
