Time Capsule Contents Reveal Lake Havasu City 25 Years Ago

By Becky Maxedon

Coffee With the Mayor took on a special meaning Friday morning when the contents of a 25-year-old time capsule that was exhumed last week were revealed.

Mayor Cal Sheehy and City Manager Jess Knudson hosted the event and several of the people who participated in the origination of the time capsule project were on hand to open various boxes that were placed in the space at the north end of Lake Havasu City.

“I would like to thank the Keep Havasu Beautiful Committee. The way the city got involved was that Joe Vitela reached out to me and Walt Lloyd reached out to me as well and wanted to know what the plan was so we started this treasure hunt, if you will, to discover what was left. There was no roadmap left for us,” Sheehy said.

“It was a laborious process,” Knudson said. “From my perspective, a lot of care went into burying the time capsule but not a lot of care went into unearthing it.”

Knudson said that water had seeped into the “vault” from the ground so they weren’t sure what would be recoverable.

Lake Havasu City London Bridge time capsule Welcome Sign RiverScene Magazine Jillian Danielson Photography

A time capsule opened on October 24, 2025 in Lake Havasu. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

As it turns out, a lot of the items that were placed in the time capsule, including letters, mementoes, pictures and more did survive the 25-year timespan.

Andrea Helart, President and CEO of the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce opened its box and read a letter from former Chamber president, Gary Powers. The letter stated it was a glimpse of what the Chamber looked like at the turn of the millennium and listed many businesses and other real estate developments that were looking at locating in the city and much more.

At the writing of the letter, the land where the Chamber is now located had been purchased.

Lake Havasu time capsule RiverScene Magazine city hall mayor sheehy linda binder

Linda Binder opens her box from the 2000 time capsule. It revealed a special Princess Diana coin that she left for her daughter. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Lake Havasu resident and former member of the Arizona Senate Linda Binder opened a box presented by the Binder family to the time capsule. The box contained a Princess Diana commemorative coin dated Dec. 1999, with a note presenting it to Binder’s daughter, among other items.

Shannon Williams, Principal of Nautilus Elementary School, read a letter from one of her former students.

Lake Havasu time capsule RiverScene Magazine city hall mayor sheehy

Shannon Williams opens letters written by students in year 2000 as Jerri Bracamonte and Andrea Helart take photos. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

“I wish the world will be safer and have a better environment. I am 10 years old. I go to Nautilus. My name is Matthew Pulbecki. I was eating an apple from science when I wrote this,” the letter stated.

Several others, including service organizations, Mohave College, the Havasu Chili Cookoff Association, the Order of Elks and many individual families were on hand to open boxes.

Here are some photos of the event.

Cal Sheehy, Joe Vitela, Jim Lieson, and Jess Knudson at Coffee With The Mayor Friday morning before they reveal the contents of the time capsule. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Guy Reynolds speaks at Coffee with the Mayor as City Manager Jess Knudson shows letters written by jr. high students from year 2000. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene