Beechview Monument Park, Beechview 2203 Bensonia Avenue
Beechview’s Monument Park is at the Shiras T stop on Broadway Avenue. Whether waiting for the train or looking for a place to sit, it offers a quiet, shady spot in the middle of a bustling commercial and residential corridor. With a name like Monument Park, it’s hardly surprising that several war memorials have been designed and installed on this narrow slice of land over the last 100+ years.
I generally find spending time with these memorials to be a meaningful way to connect with people and events from the past. However, during my visit, I was reminded that this park has a curious and unique feature: a community time capsule. Assembled and buried in 2005, this collection will be disinterred in 2055. And while I may be wrong about this (please correct me if I am, details I found online were a bit hazy), the current capsule replaced one created in 1954 and opened in 2004. I don’t know what has been placed in the current capsule, but I imagine it to be a mix of national and local headline news, letters and lists created by residents, photos and drawings of the neighborhood, and a Terrible Towel. 🙂
What will life be like for the people of Beechview in 2055? I think about all the changes that have already taken place since 2005. I wonder what the response will be when they’re reminded of what was once memorable and important.
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