When Rob Bentley, president of the Carnegie Museum of Kings County in Hanford, began processing the artifacts from the recently unearthed 1976 time capsule, he discovered a profound personal connection. Among the sealed items was an envelope labeled “Jolly Bunch,” which immediately captured his attention. “I saw the envelope that said Jolly Bunch on it, and right away I was, OK, I got to see this,” Bentley remarked, noting that the club was a dance organization his parents, Bob and Martha, frequented during his childhood.
The time capsule was originally assembled by Hanford’s bicentennial committee in 1976 to commemorate the nation’s 200th anniversary. Measuring 2 feet in diameter and 4 feet in length, the vessel was interred in front of the Hanford Police Department building, which was nearing completion at the time. The committee intended for the capsule to remain sealed for 50 years, with instructions for it to be opened on the Fourth of July in 2026 to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. City officials ultimately opened the container on July 9.
Inside the capsule were approximately 100 artifacts, including letters, brochures, photographs, proclamations, and cassette tapes. The Carnegie Museum of Kings County collaborated with the city to curate these items, which are now on display for a limited time at the downtown museum. For Bentley, who was 10 years old when the capsule was buried, the discovery offered a window into the social lives of adults he knew growing up. He was surprised to find his parents’ names listed on committee documents for the Jolly Bunch, a group that no longer exists.
“To me, it just hit home that they would have a list of all of the members of the club and how they enjoyed hanging out,” Bentley said. “I just knew my parents went all the time and danced. I had no idea it was this big of a deal.” The exhibit, which coincides with Hanford’s 135th anniversary celebration, features a variety of historical items. Among the most notable are eight cassette tapes containing recordings of City Council meetings and local radio broadcasts, which have been digitized for public listening via MP3 players.
The collection also preserves local culinary history, including a 1975 YMCA cookbook and a menu from the Imperial Dynasty, a renowned restaurant founded in 1883 in Hanford’s Chinatown. The menu is signed by chef Richard Wing, who was instrumental in pioneering French-Chinese fusion cuisine. The restaurant, which operated for four generations under the Wing family, became a world-class destination that attracted celebrities and politicians before closing in 2006. Richard Wing passed away in 2010 at the age of 89.
Community members have flocked to the museum to reconnect with their past. Lynette Bowers, a Hanford native currently residing in Goleta, visited the exhibit with her grandchildren to revisit her youth. “I was a senior in high school in 1976, and so I have vivid memories of celebrating the nation’s 200th bicentennial,” Bowers said. She identified her own yearbook, “The Janus of 1976,” among the artifacts on display, noting that it captured a period of significant transition for the local school district.
Bowers recalled the era when Hanford High School was the town’s sole secondary institution, a time marked by the demolition of the old school building. “It was sad to watch them knock it down,” she reflected, contrasting that era with the current landscape, which now includes Hanford West and Sierra Pacific high schools. The museum exhibit remains open through Saturday, with viewing hours from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Following the conclusion of the exhibit, Bentley confirmed that the 1976 artifacts will be resealed in their original capsule and placed into city storage. Looking toward the future, the city is currently constructing a new public safety building at the corner of Seventh and Harris Streets. Plans are underway to create a new time capsule containing items from 2026, which will be preserved for the next 50 years, continuing the tradition of documenting Hanford’s history for future generations.
In 1976, Hanford’s bicentennial committee collected artifacts for the creation of a time capsule as part of its efforts to celebrate the nation’s 200th anniversary.
But city officials did not unearth and open it until July 9.
I think what I enjoy the most is seeing people’s faces and how excited they were to participate,” Bentley said.
It took him back to his childhood memories of his parents’ love for dancing.
“There’s lots of different artifacts here.
It started as a noodle house in the 19th century and evolved into a world-class culinary destination.
The restaurant drew international travelers, politicians and celebrities like Walt Disney and Big Cosby despite its rural San Joaquin Valley location.
It closed in early 2006 due to declining health of the owner Richard Wing, who died in 2010 at the age of 89.
Comments