“If I could save time in a bottle –
the first thing that I’d like to do is
to save every day till eternity passes
away.”
(Music by Jim Croce)
If you are not old enough to know anything about what was happening in Raleigh in 1967, don’t feel like the lone ranger – even those who were around can’t remember. But on June 8, 2017, we will see and maybe hear what was “in” back-in-the-day.
Fifty years ago the management of Cardinal Movie Theatre in North Hills had a bright idea to promote their grand opening by creating a TIME CAPSULE. They invited students of nearby schools and businesses to contribute items that would be iconic of that time period. Those items were placed in a container, or “time capsule”, and buried in the sidewalk outside the theatre. Evidently WRAL made a contribution, rumored to be film, but no one today has any knowledge what the images, and maybe sound, might be on that alleged piece of celluloid. In fact, no one in the community seems to recall what went into that container on that day in history. Heck, even the Cardinal Movie Theatre does not even exist anymore! The location is now the Bonefish Grill.
So, to prepare us all for what might be un-earthed in June, we decided to poke around and see what was “groovy” back in 1967.
The number one movie in 1967 was “The Graduate” starring Dustin Hoffman. Maybe the Cardinal Theatre made a contribution of a couple of tickets for the capsule.
The most popular toy in 1967 was Ker Plunk. That should fit in a time capsule.
The Ford Mustang was still riding high in 1967 as the most popular car. How about a set of keys to giddy-up that pony!
But we are still wondering what could possibly be on the film, if there is film, from WRAL. Here is an advertisement that appeared in TV GUIDE magazine in 1967. Perhaps the alleged film contains a greeting from Bob Caudle and Joel Lawhon and the news staff. Perhaps there are tickets to one of the wrestling shows held at WRAL. (They thought the show would never go off the air!)
So, save the date – June 8, 2017. In just a few months we’ll see what is contained in that time capsule that has not seen the light of day for 50 years. Let’s just hope that the reveal will be more exciting than Geraldo Rivera’s hyped opening of Al Capone’s vault back in 1986!
Thanks to Corp’s Pam Allen for this capcom story & these photos. Pam Parris Allen is a former WRAL newscast producer/director who now works as a researcher and producer on the CBC History Project.
