FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Where were you 25 years ago? Many can answer that question.
"Wow 25 years ago…,” said Steve Clarke, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce President.
In 1997, the Northwest Arkansas Mall expanded its property. To celebrate the completion of the project, the then employees packed a time capsule full of memorabilia and buried it in the food court.
On Thursday, March 17, 2022, the current staff dug up the box and opened it for the first time in 25 years.
The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce hosted the event in partnership with the Northwest Arkansas Mall. Many gathered in the food court to see what artifacts were inside. Many attendees reflected on where they were around the time capsule was buried.
The former head of housekeeping, Rose King, shared that she was there to help complete the project. In the time capsule, she placed her old uniform.
"It’s melancholy this place was my life. It really was I so enjoyed working here,” King said.
She said the mall has a special place in her heart because it's where she met her now-husband.
The former Mayor of Fayetteville Fred Hanna left a list of things, predictions for the year 2022. Most of the predictions on that list came to pass.
“It feels great, it predicted we’d have 85,000 people, we have close to 96,000 people. It was predicted that we would still be reported as one of the best cities in the country to live that’s still true," Clarke said.
As the mall reflected on the past, the time capsule brought on the question, "What will the next 25 years look like?" Northwest Arkansans have high expectations.
“We will continue to grow, we will continue to be the second-largest city in Arkansas, we will become a healthcare mecca," Clarke said.
“I’m sure it’ll be growing. That’s what the mayor said back then," Rick Paumgarden said.
In addition to predictions and old mall uniforms, the box held several VHS tapes, lingerie from Victoria's Secret and a newspaper with a headline about the Arkansas Razorbacks heading to Michigan for basketball.
The Northwest Arkansas Mall plans to bury another time capsule to be opened in 25 years but has not yet set a date to bury it.
RELATED: River Valley Regional Food Bank partners with Western Arkansas Child Development Food Pantry
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