FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2026
CONTACT: Kevin Larsen, Media Director, 605-773-6000. Kevin.Larsen@state.sd.us

South Dakota Unveils America 250 Time Capsule

PIERRE, S.D. – Pierre, SD -- America250SD, the state, nonpartisan organization charged with leading the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, approved South Dakota’s contribution to “America’s Time Capsule.” The vessel will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, and remain sealed until 2276. South Dakota’s time capsule contribution will include a specially designed edition of This Far Country by Joseph Bottum, published by the South Dakota Historical Society Press. It will also include a letter from Governor Larry Rhoden. The commission is also working to collect letters from tribal governments in South Dakota.

The Time Capsule is a national initiative to preserve a representative record of the United States at 250 years. Developed in collaboration with scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), preservation experts at the Library of Congress, and in coordination with the National Park Service, the capsule has been engineered to withstand 250 years underground. While other organizations are creating time capsules for the 250th anniversary, America’s Time Capsule is the official, congressionally mandated capsule representing the federal Commission and all states and territories.

“Given the small dimensions allowed to each state, the commission believed This Far Country encapsulated South Dakota’s unique perspective and so we arranged for a specially designed edition made to fit the space.” said Dr. Ben Jones, Chair of America’s 250th South Dakota. “When the poem and the letters are opened in 2276, Americans marking the Quincentennial, will have words from the Governor and This Far Country poem reflecting our experiences living out the principles of the Declaration of Independence.”

For more information on America 250 SD, visit https://americas250th.sd.gov/.  For a copy of This Far Country by Joseph Bottum see: This Far Country — South Dakota Historical Society Press

About the South Dakota State Historical Society

The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution since 2013, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. For questions or memberships, call 605-773-3458 or visit history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.