Cygnet in search for time capsule

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CYGNET – The village is poised to celebrate its 125th anniversary this August, but a piece of its history
is missing.
And the village is hoping some current residents could help them find it.
"We had a big celebration on the 75th homecoming on July 24, 1960," said Village Mayor Nancy
Myers, "and at that time, they buried a time capsule that contained newspapers, some important
documents, and oil field relics."
It was buried in what was then Water Park – now Swan Park – in the village.
However, in the intervening years, the exact location of the 1960 time capsule has been lost.
"I thought the capsule was metal, and we’ve taken one of those machines and gone all over the park
to find some signal for it," resulting in unsuccessful excavations in some areas. Myers said that
some period photographs, however, make the capsule look as though it may have been made of plastic.
They’ve also searched other places, including near where a village water tower was recently dismantled.

Cygnet’s history is tied up in the Northwest Ohio oil and gas boom of the late 19th and early 20th
century – and so are the artifacts in the lost time capsule. For a period, the Cygnet pumping station,
built in 1888, was the largest in the world, sending oil and other products to numerous refineries, and
the village was riddled with oil wells.
The hunt for the time capsule is hampered by a number of issues, perhaps the most daunting of which is,
ironically, time itself.
"The council people that were on at that time, they are no longer alive. We don’t have anyplace to
find where it’s at. We thought somebody in the village may remember."
"And during the 75th celebration, when they had it, they had a huge event," said Myers, noting
"it was really big for the village at that time."
Myers indicated that a man who was a curator of materials from the event later donated the documents and
photographs to the Wood County Historical Society. However, those materials also proved to be a dead
end, she said.
If found, the capsule would be opened during festivities marking the 125th anniversary of the village on
Aug. 9 – along with a capsule buried during the 100th anniversary.
"We did find the 100-year one. We just haven’t been able to find the 75th one, which would have all
the old oil relics in it."
Myers said there are no other time capsules buried in the village.

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