image description — Attendees at the Adams 250 celebration were invited to write a letter to the future. Volunteer Nancy Garton says many people took their time considering what to write before their letters were sealed with wax for the time capsule.

Adams Creates Time Capsule to Be Opened in 25 Years

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
08:25AM / Sunday, August 02, 2026Print Story | Email Story

ADAMS, Mass. — As America celebrated its 250th anniversary, Adams looked toward the future by creating a time capsule to preserve pieces of the community for future generations.

During the town's 250th celebration, hundreds of people explored Greylock Glen, visiting vendors by local businesses and educational organizations that showcased exhibits connecting the community's past with its future.

Among them was the time capsule, which will be reopened 25 years from now. Attendees put pen to cardstock to reflect on the celebration, current events, the community, and their hopes for the area's future.

The letters were then sealed with red wax and placed inside a glass container, preserving their thoughts for future generations.

Some participants spent more than 15 minutes at the tables reflecting on what they wanted to preserve for future generations, volunteer Nancy Garton said.

"People were curious," she said, adding that it was touching to see people participating in history as it was being made.

One woman shared that contributing to the time capsule made her feel connected to the future, as if she would still be present 25 years from now, Garton said.

"It was a lot of reflective writing. It was very amazing to see people take their time and put down an entire card filled with their thoughts. So, I'm not sure what everybody wrote, but they were very engaged," she said.

Rather than being buried, to preserve on costs, the capsule will be stored in town clerks' vault until it's time to be reopened, said Susan Denault, 250Adams secretary.

"[Buried capsules are] like $1,000, then you have to worry about moisture getting in them," she said.

It is important to remind people of the nation's history and the community's history, which is what the 250th anniversary celebration is all about, Denault said.

"So, we want people to be more informed about the past and how it's relevant to today," she said.

This capsule pushes this mission to the future, providing future generations with insights on what went on today, and just what's happening in general during these times, she said.

Tags: bicenquinquagenary, time capsule,

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After More Than a Century, Heating Failure Puts Adams Turners' Future at Risk

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
07:20AM / Sunday, September 27, 2026

ADAMS, Mass. — For more than a century, generations have gathered for dances, community gatherings and bowling at Turn Hall, but that longtime tradition is now in jeopardy after the building's aging heating system failed.

The Adams community is known for rallying behind local people and organizations in times of need, and now Adams Turners is asking for that same support said Gail Burda, the group's financial secretary.

The boiler, referred to as "the Beast" by board members, is as old as the building itself, which was constructed in 1902. It started out burning coal, was later switched to oil and then to gas President Virginia Fuller said.

For several years, the nonprofit social club, a 501(c)7, has struggled with the aging system, with members periodically checking on it throughout the day during the winter to ensure it was still operating, she said.

Now, "the Beast" has reached the end of its life but the Adams Turners don't have the funding to replace it, prompting them to establish a GoFundMe.

At the time of writing, the GoFundMe has raised $1,750 and members have donated more than $2,500 toward the $30,000 needed to secure an additional $25,000 grant and $25,000 loan from American Turners, the national organization under which the club operates.

The nonprofit hopes to hire a contractor to install a multi-zone hydronic system, a project estimated to cost $81,443. The work would include new heating systems for the apartment, bar area, gym and bowling alley, along with new baseboards, gas lines, permits and other necessary fittings.

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