Frederick buries residents’ hopes for the future in time capsule celebrating America’s 250th birthday
Letters from Frederick residents sharing hopes for the city’s future are being placed in a time capsule outside City Hall as part of the In the Streets festival and America’s 250th anniversary.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
Frederick is burying a time capsule in front of City Hall. The project is part of In the Streets and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The capsule contains letters written by Frederick residents of different ages. Residents wrote about family, unity, affordability, diversity, local arts and preserving Frederick’s historic character. The project is intended to capture both Frederick’s current identity and residents’ hopes for its future. 2026 also marks the Weinberg Center’s 100th anniversary and 50 years since the major downtown flood.
Frederick is looking ahead while celebrating the nation’s past.
As part of this year’s In the Streets festival and the United States’ 250th birthday, the City of Frederick is burying a time capsule in front of City Hall filled with letters from residents of all ages describing their hopes and dreams for the city’s future.
The messages touch on themes including family, unity, affordability, local arts, historic preservation and keeping Frederick’s small-city character intact as the community continues to grow.
City staff members Molly Keilty and Lance Duval told WYPR the idea fit naturally with a year focused heavily on Frederick’s past. Keilty said the city has spent much of the semiquincentennial reflecting on 250 years of history, while the time-capsule project gives residents a chance to turn their attention toward what comes next.
That forward-looking theme comes during a year filled with other major Frederick anniversaries. The Weinberg Center is celebrating its 100th birthday, while 2026 also marks 50 years since the devastating flood that helped reshape downtown Frederick.
Among the residents who contributed their thoughts was Jeannette Leaberry, a Frederick County native who grew up in Middletown and later returned to the area. She said she hopes Frederick remains family-friendly and safe for children while becoming more affordable for families, young adults and older residents living on fixed incomes.
Drew Coates, who moved to Frederick after living in Washington, D.C., said he hopes the city preserves the diversity and sense of safety he values while creating more childcare options and spaces for young people between school and home.
Dr. Suzanne Salichs, director of Centro Hispano de Frederick, said she hopes the city continues supporting immigrant communities and other residents who may feel vulnerable or unheard.
Together, the letters create a snapshot of what Frederick residents value in 2026 — and what they hope future city leaders and residents will protect.
The time capsule is being buried as part of Saturday’s In the Streets celebration in downtown Frederick.
WHAT IT MEANS
The time capsule turns Frederick’s semiquincentennial celebration into more than a look backward.
By preserving residents’ hopes alongside the city’s history, the project creates a record of what people living in Frederick today believe should matter to future generations — including affordability, safety, diversity, historic preservation and maintaining the city’s sense of community.
Original reporting referenced by Everything Frederick:
WYPR News — Reporting by Nathanael Miller →Want more Frederick updates like this?
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