What Washington should have put in the nation's time capsule
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Every U.S. state contributed items to a time capsule marking the nation's 250th anniversary this year. Washington's picks were … well, a little boring.
The big picture: While states like New Mexico, Maine and West Virginia sent handmade art and cultural artifacts, Washington contributed just two things: a gubernatorial proclamation and a letter from the lieutenant governor.
- To put that in perspective, Arkansas sent a diamond. California sent a fusion superconductor.
- Washington sent paperwork.
If the goal was to tell people in 2276 what Washington was like, we'd have packed a little differently.
Here are some alternate ideas.
Gum from the Pike Place gum wall
People 250 years from now probably won't understand why thousands of strangers stuck chewed gum to a brick wall.
- To be fair, neither do we.
Still, it's one of Seattle's enduring oddities. The tradition began in the 1990s, when patrons and performers at Unexpected Productions started leaving gum on the wall, according to Pike Place Market.
A Dick's Drive-In bag
The appeal of Dick's is almost impossible to explain to outsiders. (Though Bethany Jean Clement at The Seattle Times captured it well a few years ago.)
Future generations should know this humble burger chain holds an outsized place in the local psyche.
Driftwood from Discovery Park
Who knows what Seattle's shoreline will look like in 2276?
- A weathered piece of driftwood would at least give future Washingtonians something tangible from one of the city's best places to wander.
A blanket from Eighth Generation
A Coast Salish wool blanket would say far more about Washington's history, artistry and living Indigenous cultures than an official proclamation ever could.
A Washington State Ferries route map
Few Washington experiences are as familiar as waiting for a ferry that's running a little late — then forgetting all about it once you're on the water.
- The views. The smell of salt air. The chance of an orca sighting. Standing on the deck in the drizzle. That's Washington.
A Rainier beer can
The red "R" is instantly recognizable to generations of Washingtonians. Few brands are more closely tied to the state's identity.
- We'd have preferred to include the giant neon "R" sign, but a beer can is a lot easier to squeeze into a time capsule.
A geoduck shell
The geoduck has been part of life for Coast Salish peoples for thousands of years.
- The shellfish's famously phallic appearance has also helped make it one of Washington's cult icons.
- We regret nothing.
The other side: The lieutenant governor's office said the state's two documents were chosen to give people in 2276 a sense of how Washingtonians viewed the nation's 250th anniversary.
- The office also had another idea.
- After seeing Oklahoma submit the Thunder's NBA championship ring from last year, Dallas Roberts, chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, told Axios it "would have been awesome to get our hands on an early release of the Seahawks Super Bowl ring."
- Now that's a submission we can get behind.
What local item would you have slipped into the nation's time capsule? Email us and let us know. We may compile a list of readers' best picks.