Warrenton alumni, school officials fail to unearth 1975 time capsule

Greg Klingensmith, superintendent of the Warren County R-III School District, led an on-campus search for a time capsule believed buried in 1975 at Warrenton High School but officials and volunteers did not locate the container.

Klingensmith said the district used metal detectors and an excavator at multiple spots guided by a 1975 yearbook photo and alumni recollections, but “I think our chances of finding it are slim.”

The search drew members of the class of 1975, maintenance staff and volunteers. Terry Krigbaum, a member of the class of 1975, said she discovered the yearbook photograph while looking through a volume with her grandson: “I was going through my yearbook with my grandson, and we ran across the pictures.” The image and on-site landmarks — including the Holy Rosary Church roofline and a former ring of multiflora roses around the football field — were used to select digging locations.

Crews probed and dug in at least four locations the team considered likely based on the photograph and prior metal-detecting work. Klingensmith told viewers the capsule was understood to be buried roughly 18 inches to 2 feet deep; the team said most of their metal-detecting hits appeared to be surface metal such as coins or debris. At one point the group reported a metal “hit,” but subsequent probing did not confirm a buried capsule.

Volunteers said the site has changed since 1975 in ways that complicate the search: the bus garage and replacement concrete under newer bleachers may now sit over earlier ground that could have contained the capsule, and those areas are not accessible to hand excavation. Frank Stearman, who operated the excavator during the event and was identified as a class of 1965 alumnus, assisted in targeted digs; John Chandler, the district director of maintenance who is retiring, used a probe tool.

District staff and volunteers credited local helpers for their efforts, including metal-detecting assistance from a team described as Lewis and Beatty and contributions from Bart Corman. The Warren County Record covered the event; school board member Rich Barton attended in person.

Klingensmith said the district believes there may be other, unlocated time capsules from later years (the team mentioned a capsule from about 1990 and another from the mid-1990s). He invited anyone with information about the capsule’s exact location to contact the district. “If anyone has any information on the exact location of where it was buried, please, reach out to me at the school,” Klingensmith said.

The event ended without recovery of the 1975 capsule; Klingensmith said the district will continue to follow tips and revisit potential locations but did not set a timetable for further digs.