KSHB 41 News reporter Lauren Schwentker covers stories in the Northland, including in Clay and Platte counties. Have a story idea? Send her an email.
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On Sunday, a time capsule sealed for decades in the walls of First Presbyterian Church of Independence was opened, revealing a glimpse into 1976.
The capsule was buried during America's Bicentennial, the same year Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford. Inside, it held old newspapers, cassette tapes, magazines, photos of the town and notes people wrote to their future selves.
Sarah Sutton and her classmate David Burrus created the capsule when they were 7 and 6 years old.
"I was the one who put in 50 years ago, so I was seven. Now I'm 57," Sutton said.
"It was emotional," Sutton said.
Both Burrus and Sutton wrote notes and shared stories with their future selves.
"It's almost surreal," Burrus said. "To see Sarah, that was my classmate here at that time, to see her 50 years later... 50 years is a long time. So I feel lucky to be here," Burrus said.
"It was, it was a good feeling to see all those things again," Sutton said.
The church itself carries deep-rooted history, even before 1976. It was founded in 1827, and one of its members was Harry S. Truman.
Even though so much time has passed, people in Independence tell me their strong sense of American heritage and tight community remains the same.
"I’m glad we did it and that I was here to do it and witnessed everything that happened 50 years ago," Sutton said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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