By Jim Carchidi
June 29, 2026
City officials joined the community at Orlando City Hall on Monday to witness the opening of a 1976 time capsule. The memorabilia captured a slice of life during America's Bicentennial Celebration.
Time capsule timetable
Kiwanis Club of Orlando President Matt Kelly, FPRD Communications Manager Tara Russakov, commissioners Bakari Burns and Tony Ortiz, and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer gather to reveal items from the 1976 time capsule. Photos by Jim Carchidi
The capsule was buried at Lake Eola Park by the Kiwanis Club of Orlando in the summer of 1976. It accompanied the installation of a 60-foot flagpole, commissioned by the Kiwanis to commemorate the nation’s 200th birthday.
Letters wrapped in protective plastic are carefully opened.
A letter from Kiwanis Club of Orlando dedicating Lake Eola's 60-foot bicentennial flag pole is among the first time capsule items opened.
Families, Parks and Recreation Department (FPRD) Communications Manager Tara Russakov told The Orlando Real the capsule had been unearthed nearly a decade ago during a construction project. It remained sealed and was stored in the same temperature-controlled warehouse where Pulse nightclub artifacts currently reside. Russakov also read from a 1976 Orlando newspaper article about the preparation of the time capsule.
“Dr. Jack Noonan oversaw the archival preparation of the items at the Florida Technological University physics department,” she said. “The school is now known as the University of Central Florida.”
Fun facts from 1976
When the time capsule was buried, Carl Langford was Mayor of Orlando and the city population numbered 116,000 residents. Magic Kingdom was the only Walt Disney World theme park and admission was free; guests paid for ride tickets. And the Tangerine Bowl – later renamed Citrus Bowl, then Camping World Stadium – completed a renovation to upgrade seating capacity from 17,000 to 50,000. College football bowl game tickets ranged between $10 and $20.
More facts from 50 years ago:
- Reubin O'Donovan Askew was Governor of Florida
- Orlando Jetport at McCoy was renamed Orlando International Airport
- Universal Orlando Resort was still 14 years from opening
- Florida’s average gas price was $.62 per gallon
- The median household income was $12,686
Unboxing history
FPRD staff documented the time capsule contents as Mayor Buddy Dyer and Kiwanis Club of Orlando President Matt Kelly joined city commissioners Bakari Burns, Tony Ortiz, and Shan Rose in removing some of the items.
A letter from President Gerald Ford was among stacks of paper documents wrapped in protective plastic. Packages will be carefully opened by city staff in the coming days, so the exact number of time capsule artifacts won't be known for some time. A sealed glass jar containing what looks to be a film canister was among the more curious items.
The capsule contained several bicentennial-themed publications, including a 1975-76 Orlando phone book and a Florida Technological University theater program.
Russakov is shown holding a bicentennial license plate and a copy of Orlando-Land tourism magazine.
Another Orlando-Land edition from the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World.
"Thumbs Up Florida" t-shirts are vintage pieces of advertising for Sun Bank, which eventually became part of SunTrust. The slogan was inspired by the nationwide "Thumbs Up" marketing craze.
An FDOT pamphlet with an introduction by Florida Governor Reubin O'Donovan Askew survived the years a bit better than a proclamation signed by Orlando Mayor Carl Langford.
Members of community and the media file by time capsule artifacts to have a look and take some pictures.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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