Time Capsule Found at Former Community Center It’s not every day a piece of history more than 100 years old is discovered. But, that’s exactly what happened in August when construction crews removed the 1911 cornerstone from the former Irene B. French Community Center. As crews worked to preserve the cornerstone, they found a tiny tin box inside the concrete casing. The tin box was a time capsule set during the Merriam Grade School’s dedication on June 27, 1911. The decomposed box contained signatures of students and residents who attended the event and a “Laws Relating to the Common Schools of Kansas” pamphlet from 1909. Some attendees were related to David Gee Campbell. Campbell is credited with establishing Merriam – originally Campbellton – in 1864. See below for more fun facts about residents who attended the ceremony.
FACTS ABOUT ATTENDEES ▶ Fred Reiger: Owned the Merriam Bakery at 57th St. between Kessler Lane and Merriam Drive. The building burned down, but Fred rebuilt his bakery a little farther south.
▶ Charles Loomis was a well-known figure in Merriam. He was a retired physician and served as vice president at Shawnee State Bank for 45 years. Married to Viola Loomis, Charles also served as the the Merriam School Board treasurer. The Loomis property is now located on the National Register of Historic Places at 8325 Johnson Drive. ▶ Campbell Family Tree: James M. Campbell was the son
▶ Merriam School’s architect has a grandson living in Bucyrus, Kansas, named Jack. 10 ▶ MERRIAM HIGHLIGHTS & RECREATION
of founder David Gee Campbell. James owned a store in Merriam and was very active in the community. James was the father of Marie and Blanche Campbell, also present at the dedication ceremony. Marie was a Bell telephone operator for 36 years, even manning the lines during the floods of 1914 and 1935. Marie was later known as the “Queen of Historic Merriam.” She passed away in 1994, one week before her 100th birthday.
