Who Owns the Past?

Our memories are some of the most personal and unique things we can possess. We may share common experiences with other people, but the idea that memories of our own past could belong to anyone else seems ridiculous.

But what about the objects and places that shaped those memories? By providing a tangible link to the past, these items have meaning to the people who value them by evoking important memories, and can serve a powerful unifying function for people who share common experiences. They can also reach beyond individual lifespans to help people, families, and communities understand their past, and shape their identities.

These things may be owned – but can also be bought, sold, lost, destroyed or otherwise made unavailable – and due their very nature, often cannot be replaced if lost, permanently losing their association with the past and the people who value them.

Obviously the question of ‘who owns the past?’ is complicated, and lacks a single, tidy answer.

Nevertheless, after discovering a time capsule in Edwardsburg, Michigan, a man is asking this very question.

While restoring his home, Kerry Jones discovered a time capsule placed in the cornerstone of the former church when it was dedicated in 1892 (see the video here for a short news story). 

He is asking the public for help deciding what do to with it – he lists four options.

-      Sell it and keep the money;

-      Sell it and use the money for the current church, which has moved down the road;

-      Donate it to the historical society or the church;

-      Replace it and leave it for future generations.

Jones says he’s seeking input because the time capsule is part of the history of the community despite technically belonging to him.

At first this situation seems fairly straightforward – after all, a time capsule is meant for someone else to find. The people who placed it in the cornerstone did so imagining what the world would be like when it was finally opened. But what happens after the initial excitement of discovery? After opening the time capsule, who should decide what happens to the contents?

By asking this question, Mr. Jones realizes that he may own these objects, but not their history. Think about your own family heirlooms, about places that places important to you, or your family. It’s easy to imagine this items as our “own”, but many times we’re just caretakers, temporarily holding them until others come along to receive them, and their history.