People from across Christian County made contributions to a time capsule that will be placed in the Christian County Historic Courthouse in Ozark, replacing a time capsule from 1920 that was removed in 2021.
The new time capsule has been designed to stay for another century, and will give the people of 2121 a look back at our world. The new time capsule is a collaborative effort of the Christian County Historical Society, the Christian County Commission, the Christian County Library system, the Christian County Historic River District and school districts across the county.
The 2021 capsule contains some relics of now, including newspapers, historical chronologies, a smart phone, a bank card, face masks, toys and essays that students wrote on the theme of what it's like to be young in the United States of America in 2021.
The Christian County Commission staged an essay contest in order to collect material for the new time capsule. Students in grades K-12 were asked to answer a prompt of "What it's like to be a student in 2021."
A panel of three judges evaluated the essays and chose six entries to be preserved in the capsule. Christian County Historical Society President Shannon Mawhiney said she was amazed by some of the entries that she read, and the strength that the children exhibited through their writing.
"They all showed their resiliency, their optimism, their artistic talents, and how they can find the good inside the bad--like imagining what life will be like when they're 108 years old, how much they love their friends and family, and teachers and school lunches, seeing a future where we're all united, and how experiencing the pandemic has made them stronger," Mawhiney said. "They have been looking forward to the future."
Former Christian County Headliner News Editor Donna Osborn served as one of the judges, and said she appreciated the chance to view 2021, especially the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, through the written words of children.
"Some of these essays made me laugh," Osborn said. "And there were several that just made me cry, because they were very said. But as (Mawhiney) said, these kids are resilient and a great hope for our future."
Historian Wayne Glenn served as the third judge. Together, the trio of judges read 193 essays from students in seven different school districts.
This list of items that will be placed in a time capsule to commemorate 2021 will do two things: let readers in 2021 know what their fellow Christian County residents contributed to preserve the memories of today, and preserve a record of the 2021 time capsule placement for Christian County residents of 2121 to access when it’s time to open the time capsule a century from now.
Newspapers:
Christian County Headliner News and Nixa News-Leader (both July 7, 2021)
School items:
Spokane Owls COVID mask, staff parking tag, and “dog tag” keychain
Nixa Eagles COVID mask
Picture of Sam Shuman, Spokane Cross Country champion
Ozark School District’s history sheet, fact sheet, COVID mask, and May 2021 magazine
Photograph of Jason Williams (Clever student) and letter
Nixa e-newsletter printout with information about Courtney Frerichs (USA Olympic medalist, Nixa High School graduate)
Clever School Board minutes from May 11, 2021, and Facebook printouts of discussion about Critical Race Theory
Clever Blue Jays keychain
Nixa Eagles keychain
Government entities:
Christian County COVID mask
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) patch
Christian County Emergency Management Agency patch
Christian County marriage license copies from 1920 and 2020
Recorder of Deeds Kelly Hall business card
Deputy Recorder Sarah Lunn business card
Chief Deputy Recorder Judy Trupp business card
Recorder of Deeds services’ price list
Ralph Phillips, Christian County Commissioner and Retired Task Force Commander of U.S. Marshals Service Special Operations Group business card and pin
Christian County Assessor Danny Gray’s business card and 2021 Unextended Totals
Christian County Health Department COVID mask, brochure, two photographs, COVID statistics, and Moderna vaccine box (empty)
Christian County Circuit Clerk letterhead with current officials
The OC birthday parties brochure
Christian County Library pamphlet on new Clever and Sparta branches signed by all library staff, Board of Trustees, and Community Partners; library card; and Sparta Branch pin
Civic Organizations:
Friend Lodge No. 352 (Ozark) photograph, member list, and miniature Masonic tools in pouch
Least of These brochure and miniature shopping cart
Boaz Friendship Club brochure / members list
Historic River District rack card and flyer
River Access Coalition t-shirt and printout of information
Christian County Museum keychain
Businesses:
iPhone 5 with case with information and “I Am Wireless” (Nixa) business card (became obsolete when 5G wireless available in 2021)
Finley Farms and The Ozark Mill blueprints, photographs of the Ozark Mill’s foundation move, and Dayle Duggins business card
Ralph Phillips’ Finley Farms / Ozark Mill “Raising the Historic Riverside Bridge” pass
Information about Campbell Ford (Ozark) from Carole Campbell Collins
Nixa Chamber of Commerce 2021 Resource Directory
Bengal Machine Company business card (unincorporated town of Bengal in Christian County)
Ozark Chamber of Commerce foldout map of county and Ozark
Appleby Healy Law Firm (county’s oldest law firm) COVID mask and business cards (David N. Appleby, David A. Healy, Donovan D. Dobbs, John L. Young, Rashell L. Pack, and Robert G. Ingold)
Central Bank pouch, debit card, I <3 Empire Bank temporary tattoo, Bitcoin medallion (non-monetary), and 2021 coins (penny, nickel, dime, quarter)
Springfield Cardinals signed baseball hat and 2021 roster (from Central Bank, local sponsor)
Amazon gift card (from Tiffany Addante to mother, Dawn Schwartz)
Churches:
First Baptist Ozark church bulletin, weekly schedule, and May 16, 2021 Quarterly Meeting Report
July 25, 2021, Aldersgate United Methodist Church bulletin (Nixa)
Music and art:
Ozark Mountain Daredevils CD (“Heaven 20/20”)
Painting of Lady Bug Floral in Nixa by Jammie Vera Russell
We Voyagers CD (“Bon Voyage,” with one song titled “Howard Garrison”), who are all Ozark High School graduates
English paper piecing quilt block made into flower shape from thrifted plaid shirts by Leslie Dingman James
Writings:
Essays by student essay contest winners (Porter Geier, Freya Matteson, Ellie Ennis, Hailey Deluca, Lilly Confer, and Abigail Haupt)
“Insurrection on US capitol 2021, January 6th” poem by William Bryan Cox
Anonymous letter to the future
“Remembering” by Catherine Craig Rainey (passed away at 103 in 2021) – from Ralph Phillips
“Ode to George Floyd” poem by Pamela Lynne Lackey-Cox
“The Tough Don’t Cry” book by Amber Schartz
OzarksWatch magazine issue with Bilyeu family history information
Toys:
Photograph of Grayson James with collection of NERF guns
L.O.L. Surprise! Doll figurine and information
LEGO toys information printout, blocks, and figurine
Novie Bot toy and information printout
Pokemon cards, information, and figurine
Miscellaneous Items:
Photograph of the Addante family, recently moved to Christian County from California
Black Lives Matter COVID mask and information printout
LGBTQIA+ and trans rights printouts, with Missouri Department of Revenue Gender Designation Change Request Form
“Safe Space” sticker, Nixa City Councilperson and Nixa Mo Diversity Advocates Founder Amy Jane Hoogstraet Safley business card, and information about Diversity Advocates and businesses displaying “Safe Space” stickers
List of Christian County town names and explanations
Frazier Cemetery rack card (Boaz)
Printouts from various social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook) about COVID in Christian County in 2020 and 2021
