Jesse Pena turns the first shovel of dirt to unearth 1960 time capsule buried during Bishop’s 50th birthday celebration. It will be opened May 14. On Thursday April 8, Jesse Pena pushed his shovel into the ground next to a cement block which read, ‘June 4, 1960, Time Capsule to be opened May 30, 2010.’

Billy Kinsel’s excavator dug larger chunks out of the ground and a chain was used to pull out the heavy cement piece that houses a time capsule, which had been buried near the high school baseball field almost 50 years ago. The excavation, which took almost an hour, was a precursor to Bishop’s Centennial Celebration May 14-16.

Dr. Tanya Lawhon, cochairman of the celebration with husband Darrell, said numerous items placed in the capsule almost 50 years ago would later be on display for the public to see.

“We excavated the time capsule which was buried during Bishop’s 50th Birthday Celebration in 1960,” Lawhon said. “The time capsule will be opened up on Friday May 14 at 4 p.m. in the hospitality center and will be on display all of that day and on the following Saturday from 8 a m. to 8 p m. After that, there will be a new time capsule which will be buried during a ceremony on Saturday at approximately 6 p m. at the same location.”

A dress worn by teacher Mrs. Elvis (Lillie) Gilbreath at the city’s 50th Birthday Celebration was put in the time capsule and will be handed to a mystery resident. One of Thursday’s attendees who was also at the 1960 burial was Tom Estes who was only 11 years old at that time.

“I have a picture of that day where Mr. Reed Morgan, who was the school superintendent and head of the committee for the celebration, has his foot in the capsule before they put the lid on it, acting crazy like he was going to get inside of it,” Estes said. “Being 11 years old at that time I do not remember much about that day because I was probably goofing around with my buddies. But I think I am in the same picture wearing a white T-shirt in the background.”

Workers hoist the concrete-incased time capsule buried in 1960 that will be opened on May 14 for Bishop’s 100th birthday celebration. Estes expressed some disappointment while reminiscing about Bishop’s former downtown vigorousness.

“Just walk downtown right now; we had a thriving downtown in 1960,” Estes said. “Most of it is gone now and what is left is falling down; it’s sad because about all we have now are good memories.”

Still, Thursday’s get-together was a happy occasion for Estes.

“Growing up, I always thought that I would want to be here,” Estes said. “It’ll be interesting to see what condition all of the items placed in the capsule will be in when they take them out.”

Several Centennial volunteers watch city workers dig up a 50-year-old time capsule. Pictured, from left, are Centennial Cochairman Darrell Lawhon, Andy Garcia, Wesley Rogers, Cochairman Dr. Tanya Lawhon, Nancy Smith and Tom Estes. One of those pieces, Estes continued, has plenty of mystery attached to it.

“There is a dress in there that was made by Mrs. Lillie Gilbreath, who was the art teacher at the school at that time,” Estes said. “And there is a note in there about who the dress is supposed to be given to and worn by. It is a mystery until we open the capsule and we don’t even know if the person who is supposed to wear the dress is still alive.”

Lawhon said preparations for the centennial celebration will begin with the Bishop Pride Project, 100 years, 100 projects’ April 16-17.

R.S. ‘Reed’ Morgan, BCISD superintendent and Chairman of Bishop’s 1960 50th Birthday Celebration, horses around by sticking his foot in the time capsule buried 50 years ago. “This will be a big push to clean up both the city and park, this Friday and Saturday, to get everything ready for the centennial festivities,” Lawhon said.

Donations for the celebration are being accepted and recognition will be given in the official program. Checks can be sent to P.O. Box 114, Bishop TX 78343, or made online at http://www. bishoptx100.org.