Colonial Fort Condé time capsule opening gave Mobilians a rare chance to look back in time yesterday, July 4th, bridging the city’s 1976 Bicentennial directly with current celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary. Hosted by the History Museum of Mobile, the downtown event paired a live action “Capture of Captain James Willing” living history reenactment with the official opening of the 50-year-old time capsule.
After the reenactment, organizers opened a time capsule that had been sealed in 1976.
Among the unearthed pieces was an old Mobile phone book, which Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis noted as his favorite find.
Speaking in an interview on-site after the Colonial Fort Condé time capsule artifacts were cataloged, Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis highlighted the cultural importance of the find.
“Fifty years in waiting. It’s so exciting,” Mayor Cheriogotis said. “It was really fun to see what people from 1976 thought was important. For America’s 250, the country is coming together.. celebrating our history .. celebrating the living history. I thought it was fantastic.”
The living history program added an extra layer of depth to the celebration, highlighting Mobile’s deep colonial roots. Volunteer Kent Davenport, who portrayed Captain James Willing during the demonstration, noted that bringing this history to life makes the city’s rich heritage much more accessible and interesting for the people who live here today.