Only 74 Years Until We Find Out What is Buried in Memorial Park

Laying quietly beneath the frozen ground, a small rectangular stone is barely noticeable among the memorials honoring veterans and firefighters' and the trees planted by the Matawan Shade Tree Commission.

The stone's simple inscription reads, "Time Capsule. Not to be opened until Jan. 1, 2086. Wharton Memorials," leaving observant visitors to wonder, what exactly is waiting for the residents of Matawan in the year 2086?

According to an article in The Independent on Sept. 10, 1986, Michael Kidzus, a Board of Education member, wanted to bury a time capsule as a way to educate residents of the future about life in Matawan in 1986. The capsule was reportedly planned to be buried during a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Oct. 11, 1986.

The article explains that Kidzus planned to include coins minted that year, newspaper articles, common household gadgets and memorabilia from the fire and police departments. Matawan resident intended to include a banner painted by her late husband, Frank. Both Kizdus and Banafato were on the Matawan Borough Tricentennial Committee.

According to the Independent article, the committee acquired everything needed for the time capsule through donations. Wharton Monuments, of Keyport, donated the stone marker; Matawan resident John Stankiewicz donated the steel box and Matawan resident Glen Pike donated the concrete vault.

Pictured in the photograph that ran with the article is then-councilman James Shea.

Shea, who still lives in Matawan, recalls Kizdus working hard to preserve a moment of time in local history by burying the time capsule.

In addition to items selected by the committee, the committee told The Independent that they planned to pass special boxes to preserve documents around the audience at the burial ceremony to allow residents to add their own contributions.

Kidzus' daughter, Maureen Kidzus Shultz, said her daughter was there with Michael when the capsule was buried.

"We think the capsule contained my daughter's picture, a local newspaper, and a rock from my dad's collection, among other things," Kidzus Shultz said.

Each January since 1986, the Matawan Borough Council has passed an ongoing resolution concerning the time capsule, reminding the borough of the capsule while reaffirming the 1986 governing body's and the Tricentennial Committee's decision to preserve a piece of Matawan's history until the borough celebrates it's quad-centennial.