Petrolia opens time capsule to mark 150th anniversary
PETROLIA — A broken arm was not going to stop Jennifer Lauer from attending her hometown’s sesquicentennial Saturday.
Lauer, who fell Saturday morning, made it very clear to the physician who examined her how much she wanted to be at Petrolia’s 150 anniversary, which was to include the unsealing of a 50 year-old time capsule.
“I told the doctors that they needed be done with me by 3:30 so I could be here by 4,” Lauer said. “That way I could be at there in time for the opening of the time capsule.”
Petrolia celebrated its 150th year anniversary Saturday with a car show, raffles, live music, food vendors and — the pièce de résistance — the opening of the time capsule. In 1973, residents of Petrolia put various items and keepsakes into a capsule, and 18,262 days later the community gathered to see the nostalgic treasures contained therein.
The souvenirs included pictures and film reels, a rule book for selecting the centennial queen, banners from the centennial, a registration book from museum week, a first edition of the Butler County News, information on the early oil boom days supplied by historian Lenn McCorry, newspaper clippings, pictures and write-ups about Petrolia and names of families that lived in the borough.
People from all over the country attended Saturday’s events — from Virginia to New Mexico to South Carolina.
Andy Winslow, who now resides in South Carolina, was able to make the trip back to his hometown.
“It’s been a great homecoming,” WInslow said. “It really has that small-town family feel to it here.”
The Snow children, whose parents both worked at the fire department, were some of the names listed in the time capsule. Even though some of the children moved out of the state, they said they were excited to make the trip back home.
“This small town is a family,” said Mary Sue Wilson, one of six Snow children at Saturday’s event. “Everyone here is family.”
The time capsule reveal easily could have been mistaken for a family reunion. The sound of laughter was rampant as Petrolians embraced one another and reminisced about yesteryear.
Mark Lauer, of Petrolia, Jennifer’s brother and master of ceremonies for the event, provided insight and commentary as the items from the capsule were revealed. Often joking with the crowd or adding a quirky anecdote about the community, it felt like everyone was enjoying the same inside jokes that only citizens of Petrolia could truly appreciate.
And while there were a lot of laughs, there were also several members of the audience who were emotional as the past was revealed.
“I think there is an emotional attachment,” Mark said. “Everybody knew everybody. Everybody was tied into either the borough or the fire department — and that came from their heart and soul.”
In September there is a plan to make another time capsule that would be opened at Petrolia’s bicentennial, according to Laurer.
“We hope to make it here to the next one,” Larry Snow said laughing along with his siblings.
