Fifty years ago, Carson sealed a little piece of itself away for the future.

On Thursday, the city plans to find out what is inside.

The City of Carson will open the time capsule that was set aside when City Hall was dedicated in 1976.

The ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, November 19, at 6 p.m. at Carson City Hall, 701 E. Carson Street, according to the city's event calendar and flyer.

The city's event registration page lists the program as running from 6 to 8 p.m.

The flyer carries the tagline "Let's Make History Again!" and invites residents, families and community members to attend.

A look back at 1976

The capsule dates to the dedication of City Hall nearly half a century ago.

The flyer lists the city leaders of that era, including Mayor Clarence A. Bridgers and Mayor Pro Tem Sak Yamamoto.

What exactly went into the capsule has not been spelled out in the city's announcement, which is part of the fun.

The flyer frames the opening as part of the city celebrating 50 years of history.

The city wants your stories

Carson is also asking longtime residents for help filling in the story.

Anyone who attended the 1976 dedication, or who placed an item in the capsule, is asked to share stories, photos or memorabilia.

The city says it especially hopes to hear from relatives of the people connected to the original ceremony.

For families who have been in Carson for generations, that could mean digging through a photo album or a box in the garage before Thursday.

If you plan to go

The city asked guests to register online, and the flyer set a November 5 deadline for RSVPs.

Because that date has passed, residents who have not signed up may want to check with the city before heading over.

The Public Information Office is the contact for the event, at (310) 933-4140 or pio@carsonca.gov.

One detail is worth confirming: the registration page shows a street address of 801 E. Carson Street, while the city's calendar and flyer both place the ceremony at City Hall, 701 E. Carson Street.

The Public Information Office can confirm exactly where guests should gather.

No admission charge is listed in the city's materials.

It is not every day a city gets to open a message from its own past.

The Carson Courier will follow up after the ceremony with a look at what was inside.

Sources: City of Carson, 1976 Time Capsule Opening Ceremony flyer (https://cms3.revize.com/revize/repository/carsonca/Time%20Capsule%20Flyer.pdf); City of Carson events list (https://carsonca.gov/eventslist); City of Carson registration page on Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/time-capsule-opening-ceremony-tickets-1998445277622).

Photo by Nika Benedictova on Unsplash