Bruceton Marks Centennial with Time Capsule Unsealing

BRUCETON (June 14) — The Town of Bruceton celebrated its centennial Saturday at Templeton Park with the unsealing of a 25-year time capsule.

Scores gathered to see the vault opened and mark 100 years since the town was incorporated on November 1, 1925.

Local historian and former educator Buddy Smothers gave a brief history of the town, which was named after William P. Bruce, a VP of the N.C. & St. Louis Railroad, who determined the railroad route would run through the town.

Smothers spoke about the town’s deep railroad history and the impact of the growth and decline of manufacturing industries such as Henry I. Seigel.

He noted that Bruceton has had 15 mayors, beginning with Kirk Hogan and that current Mayor Robert Keeton III is the town’s longest-serving.

The time capsule was then unsealed, and Mayor Keeton, City Recorder Annie Hand and others began distributing the approximately 60 sealed bags of items contributed by families, individuals and civic organizations to those present.

Keeton opened some of the bags belonging to the town council, which included recordings of meetings, newspaper clippings and other artifacts from 2000.

The celebration concluded with cake and punch at city hall.