Iowa Joins States Sealing History in America250 Time Capsule
Iowa astronaut Peggy Whitson's International Space Station medallion is heading into the official America250 time capsule, joining over 200 artifacts from across the country to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. The 900-pound steel capsule will be buried beneath Philadelphia on Saturday, July 4, and will remain sealed until America's 500th birthday in 2276. Each state was challenged to choose items that tell future Americans who we were today.
How Iowa represents the Hawkeye State
Iowa's contribution highlights the state's deep connection to American space exploration. Whitson, a native of Mount Ayr, holds the record for the most time spent in space by an American. Her medallion stands as a testament to Iowa's contributions to science, exploration, and American exceptionalism.
While you cannot bottle a Minnesota lake or squeeze the Badlands into a steel cylinder, states across the Upper Midwest found unique ways to capture their heritage for the next quarter millennium.
What did North and South Dakota contribute?
North Dakota looked to its rugged heritage, contributing a commemorative coin marking the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora. The library, built in the Badlands where Roosevelt once ranched, honors the 26th president's enduring legacy. North Dakota also included a State of the State Summary and archival photographs reflecting its history and culture in 2026.
South Dakota chose literature, contributing a special edition of This Far Country by Joseph Bottum and illustrated by Jeanne Bowman. The South Dakota State Historical Press noted that the poems highlight four quintessential state symbols: the meadowlark, chokecherry jelly, the homestead, and the river. South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden also penned a letter to the Americans of 2276.
What did Minnesota put in the time capsule?
Minnesota selected its newly adopted state flag, a design officially adopted in 2024 after replacing the previous flag following months of public debate over what symbol should represent the state. Gov. Tim Walz also contributed an executive order creating the Minnesota250 Commission.
National items reflect American ingenuity
Other states took different approaches to preserving their legacy. Ohio included fabric from the Wright brothers' first powered flight. Maine contributed a whale bone, Nevada sent casino chips, and California included an artificial intelligence prediction of what the state might look like 250 years from now.
What happened to the 1976 time capsule?
While the America250 capsule will not be opened until 2276, some people alive today might still get a glimpse inside a different one. During the bicentennial in 1976, Minnesota created a time capsule scheduled to be opened on the nation's tricentennial in 2076.
Minnesotans submitted nearly 1,000 suggestions before officials settled on about 150 items, including an