As waves break on the sands of Mustang Island in a relentless whisper and crash, and as pink-purple sunsets cast the glow of Texas' last light onto the Franklin Mountains, state parks offer experiences that transcend the ages. Is it a fool's errand to try to capture time? Texas State Parks figured out a way, with an assortment of modern artifacts and a pecan box.

In 1925, barely two years after the inauguration of the State Parks Board, Gov. Pat Neff proposed a vision for the future of the state of Texas. This future, Neff suggested, was one in which current and future generations could find solace “with bees and birds for companions, in an atmosphere sweet with the perfume of a thousand hues.”

Attention to this recipe of experience has been the backbone of our parks system for the past 100 years and continues to carry Texas State Parks into the next century. During 2023's centennial celebration of Texas State Parks, park staff from across the state cast an eye to the past and the future and got together to build a Centennial Time Capsule, which they hope will capture the spirit of the first 100 years of Texas State Parks while still inspiring future generations to get outside. “The future of the world will differ in many respects from today,” says the team behind the time capsule project. “What will still be the same is people's need for parks.”

Like an underground root system, our stories and ties to the land inherently connect us all. Texas state parks represent our shared outdoor spaces — places where we make outdoor memories together, whether it's swimming at Garner, camping at Palo Duro Canyon or hiking at Huntsville. The time capsule represents that bond we all share.

“The idea for the time capsule came from one of our state parks operations trainees who had been with us only a few months,” says State Parks Director Rodney Franklin. “I said, ‘That is a fantastic idea. We should do it.’ To me it shows how anyone can have a great idea that turns into something special.”

What exactly goes into creating a time capsule? From the project's inception to its final dedication at the 2024 State Parks Conference, hundreds of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department employees, volunteers and contractors have tackled this same question.

“For us, we felt a lot of responsibility not only to represent our park and all its resources but to honor the people who have put in the work to conserve it,” says Inks Lake State Park's Assistant Superintendent Nathaniel Nouri. “And we wanted to give Texans something they can connect to.”

Building on a Legacy

The Texas State Parks Centennial Time Capsule is a tall interpretive display box crafted out of pecan wood that came from Texas' first state park, Mother Neff. The box features over 100 cubby drawers approximately the size of a coffee mug, each featuring a unique item from a Texas state park or affiliated program.

Naturally, the box itself is profoundly Texan. Texas Parks and Wildlife partnered with Texas Urban Sawmill, a family-owned full-circle forestry business based out of Dripping Springs, to help sustainably produce the pecan lumber needed for the time capsule.

“This project is very special,” says Devin Ginther, founder and CEO of Texas Urban Sawmill. “We humanely sourced lumber from a Texas state tree, from the very first Texas state park. Not many people get to take part in history like that.”

The time capsule will travel from state park to state park over the next 50 years, starting with Mother Neff this spring. During its tour, visitors will interact with an heirloom piece produced from and etched with the history of our parks.

What's in a Box?

The requirements for the items submitted into the Centennial Time Capsule were simple. Each piece needs to tell a story about the park, be compact enough to fit into a small box, survive for 50 years and be strong enough to travel the roads of Texas.

Texas State Parks Curatorial Services will be in charge of managing the long-term storage, preservation and movement of the time capsule, but beyond that, the decision on what to put into each cubby was up to each park. The resulting items reflect the unique cultural and natural resources that make up our Texas State Parks. Let's take a peek at a few of the items now:

Dinosaur Valley State Park

Texas' Prehistory is a hike away at Dinosaur Valley State Park. Whether it's drought or storm, the team at Dinosaur Valley fights against the inevitability of time and erosion to uncover, catalog and share the wonders of the park's dinosaur tracks. It's hard not to stare in awe at the grandeurs of nature as you walk alongside tracks in the bed of the Paluxy River, a sensation the team at Dino Valley wanted to capture with their time capsule item. The result? A tooth from the park's Tyrannosaurus rex model.

At a surface level, it's a fiberglass tooth from the mouth of a model T. rex. In reality, its meaning runs deeper. “It represents the earliest prehistory of this landscape when dinosaurs like Acrocanthosaurus left their tracks in a muddy seashore,” explain park staff. “As a human-made object, it represents our deep cultural history, from the Native Americans who lived here in concert with nature to Anglo settlers who survived here in all new ways.”

Old Tunnel State Park

At just 16.1 acres, Old Tunnel State Park holds the title of Texas' smallest state park. Managed by staff and a wonderful group of volunteers, this park takes its name from the old railroad tunnel on the property. What the park lacks in camping, it makes up for in bats, hosting up to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats and 3,000 myotis bats. Old Tunnel is a landmark of railroad history and a safe haven for some of our state's most beloved creatures. So, it's no surprise that the park team submitted a railroad spike and articulated bat specimen to the time capsule.

“The Fredericksburg and Northern Railroad operated from 1913 to 1941. This railroad spike was taken from the rail line scrap materials that were removed when the train was decommissioned in 1941,” Old Tunnel staff explain. The bat specimen was chosen to honor the bats' vital relationship with Texas agriculture. Old Tunnel's bats can consume up to 120 million corn earworm and cotton bollworm moths a night, saving farmers money on pesticides and preventing harm to crops. In 50 years, this item will help to remind us that everything plays a part in nature.

Sea Rim State Park

Who doesn't love a day (or night) at the beach? Sea Rim State Park offers a glimpse of some of Texas' unique flora and fauna, with 5.2 miles of Gulf shoreline. Of particular note is the Gambusia Trail, an almost mile-long accessible boardwalk that weaves visitors through Texas' marshy dunes for an experience unlike any other.

The Gambusia Trail sunset patch provided for the time capsule depicts the sun setting over the boardwalk.

The patch shows a vivid sky perched above vibrant water, honoring the completion of Sea Rim's monumental accessible boardwalk project. This patch reminds us that in 50 years, park staff and volunteers will still be here to protect the treasures of Southeast Texas. Besides, as one ranger put it, “threats of storms and erosion only spur us to adapt and come back stronger!”

Balmorhea State Park

West Texas contains some hidden gems of the parks system, and Balmorhea State Park is a prime example. Nestled among the Davis Mountains foothills, the park's limestone structures support the 17 million gallons of water flowing from the San Solomon Springs every day, with the Civilian Conservation Corps-built swimming pool attracting visitors for over 80 years. What better item is there to represent this desert oasis than a geode?

Geodes complement Balmorhea's commitment to preserving and showcasing the region's rich natural heritage. “These geological gems remind us that Balmorhea State Park has more to offer than solely a swimming hole to escape the Texas heat,” park staff write. “Geodes bridge the gap between geology and ecology, further enriching the park's character and underscoring the importance of preserving these geological marvels for future generations.” In 50 years, this geode will remind us that Texas state parks are beacons of beauty and biodiversity, existing to seamlessly combine conservation and recreation for all.

San Angelo State Park

Smack dab in the center of Texas (or at least it feels that way), San Angelo State Park lies at the convergence of the Edwards Plateau, Trans-Pecos, High Plains and Rolling Plains ecoregions. Today, with bison and longhorn herds, campsites and lots of trails, San Angelo State Parks keeps people coming back to discover more.

San Angelo's cubby contains a handwritten letter from staff and volunteers, a “challenge coin” provided by the Friends of San Angelo State Park and a hand-carved desert ironwood bison figurine. “Our small bison herd is unquestionably the favorite attraction for visitors to San Angelo State Park,” park staff explain. In 50 years, San Angelo State Park will still exist at the center of Texas, preserving the past and present for the benefit of the future.

Goliad State Park and Historic Site

Nestled along the San Antonio River, the region now known as Goliad State Park and Historic Site has long attracted human and non-human visitors. Even today, the park offers myriad reasons to visit, whether it's a hike down a trail or a tour of Mission Espíritu Santo. To celebrate their rich history, the folks at Goliad State Park and Historic Site created a small custom pottery piece to place in the time capsule.

“Our special object is a re-creation of the type of pottery made by the Aranama people who inhabited the mission in the 18th century,” the park staff say. “We also applied some decoration using asphaltum, which was one of the signature techniques of the Karankawa who inhabited Mission Rosario, the ruins of which are also part of the park.” Each member of the Goliad team selected and applied a unique design to the pot, forever marking the time and place in which it was created. In 50 years, this item will help connect us to those who came before us.

Eisenhower State Park

Accented by high bluffs overlooking Lake Texoma, Eisenhower State Park is a welcome escape for residents of Texas and Oklahoma alike. Visitors enjoy scenic overlooks, abundant wildlife and even a sandy beach.

In a nod to the time aspect of this project, the folks at Eisenhower State Park contributed a custom hourglass to the time capsule. The sand for the hourglass came from the park's beach; the wooden end pieces were fashioned from one of the park's oldest trees, recently felled due to age. No matter how many changes occur or how much time passes, this hourglass represents the commitment of Eisenhower State Park staff and volunteers to provide recreational activities for future generations and to protect our resources.

Garner State Park

Well-known and well-loved for generations, Garner State Park takes pride in its traditions, whether teaching folks to line dance under the stars or providing a place for visitors to cool off in the Frio River. Park staff put their heart into everything they do, and they'll be putting their heart into the Centennial Time Capsule.

“Fossilized bivalves are found along the Frio River and are often referred to by visitors as the Heart of Garner Stones,” explain the staff. Bivalves are prehistoric mollusk-like creatures that lived underwater and are commonly found at the park. “A Heart of Garner Stone opens up the minds and hearts of our visitors, tying them physically and metaphorically to our past and present.” In 50 years, we anticipate that visitors will still be expressing their love for Garner State Park.

Future of the Capsule

TPWD concluded the 100-year celebration of Texas State Parks by filling and locking the Centennial Time Capsule at the 2024 State Park Conference in Galveston in February. Specially chosen parks employees placed the park items in the box.

The last item placed in the capsule was a letter from Rodney Franklin. “It was my letter as director to our future selves,” he says.

After traveling to as many state parks as possible, the time capsule will be opened again in 2074 — 50 years from now.

Robbie Merritt, superintendent of Ray Roberts Lake State Park, presided over the dedication and explained the purpose of the project. “At the very core of this, what this is really about, is stories — stories that we're sending to the future,” he says. “Stories are important; they connect us from generation to generation. What this time capsule will do is send these stories to the future. Thank you all for making such incredible stories during our golden year and sharing them with the future.”

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