Winnetka To Open 1976 Village Hall Time Capsule On July 3

WINNETKA, IL — Winnetka will kick off its America250 celebration with a public ceremony to open the Village Hall cornerstone and remove the time capsule placed there in 1976.

The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 3 at Village Hall, 510 Green Bay Road, in partnership with the Winnetka Historical Society.

According to the Village, the capsule that will be opened on Friday was placed in 1976 after an earlier Village Hall time capsule was opened that year.

When Village Hall was first built in 1925, a time capsule was placed in the cornerstone of the building to be opened in 1976. After that original capsule was opened, a new one was installed with plans for it to be opened in 2026, tying the event to the nation’s 250th birthday.

The Village is asking for help from residents who have a personal connection to that history. If a resident or family member placed items in the 1976 time capsule, or was present at the last time capsule opening in 1975, the Village is asking them to make contact so they can be included in the ceremony. The announcement states, “we’re eager to hear your story so we can include you in this ceremony!”

The July 3 ceremony is part of a larger slate of America250 activities in Winnetka. On July 4, the Village plans a parade down Elm Street at 10 a.m., with Events on the Green immediately after the parade and fireworks at Duke Childs Field at 9:20 p.m. On July 5, the Winnetka Ice Arena will host an America250 public skate from 2 to 3:30 p.m.