Abbeville reburies time capsule one year after opening it

On March 13, 2025, in recognition of the city of Abbeville’s 175th anniversary, officials dug up a time capsule buried under the Gazebo in Magdalen Square.
Last Friday, exactly one year later, officials reburied the time capsule, including the contents removed last year, along with several new items. Mayor Roslyn White said the time capsule will be dug up again in 50 years.
“We buried it with some new items to be dug up on the 200th anniversary of Abbeville,” Mayor Roslyn White said.
Originally founded by Père Antoine Désiré Mégret, a special legislative charter signed on March 13, 1850, officially incorporated the city.
The time capsule opened last year had been buried 30 years prior. Upon opening it, officials discovered the time capsule included maps, photos, letters and articles from the Abbeville Meridional. For the past year, those items had been on display at the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance Center.
Along with the previous contents, new items are now in the capsule. That includes the following:

Printed Materials
• Abbeville Master Plan Guidebook
• Abbeville: Someplace Special on the Bayou (1996 Book)
• Sheet music: Abbeville, Our Abbeville – Official City Song
• LMA Magazine – Page 26
• Louisiana Agriculture Magazine – Page 24
• 2025 Vermilion Parish Calendar of Events
• Abbeville Cultural & Historical Alliance rack card
• The Abbeville Woman’s Club Yearbook (with lapel pin)
• Sam Guarino Blacksmith Shop rack card
• Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission materials (map, handout, sticker) Grocery Sales Paper – March 2025
•VPSO patch and letter
• Menu – Shucks
• Menu – Dupuy’s
• Self-guided walking tour of Downtown Historic District
• Vermilion Historical Alliance Center donated a book
• Official meaning of the City of Abbeville Flag
• Article with photo of the dedication of St. Andrew Dung

Newspaper clippings with the following articles
• Historic snowfall (Jan. 21, 2025) • First capsule opened
• Sheriff Eddie Langlinais sworn in
• Mayor Roslyn White was sworn in

Photos of the following:

• Abbeville High School photo with core values
• Concord Street: before construction (2023)
• Concord Street: after completion (2024)
• Christmas in Abbeville (2024)
• Downtown Ribbon Cutting – October 2024
• Concord Street – 2025 Art Expo
• James A. Herod Day Proclamation Presentation
• Historical snowfall – January 2025
•Mayor’s Youth Council (First Council photo – 2024 school year)
• Vermilion Catholic – 7 State Titles (2024–2025)
• Fire Department group photos (Admin, Shift 1, 2, 3)
• Photo of the first bricks being laid on State Street with City Hall staff
• Photo of Wooden cypress pipe (uncovered during 2024 Downtown Road Project; dated ~1867) \
• Photo Abbeville Police Department
• Photos of Vermilion Reach Group 2024 MLK Celebration Downtown Abbeville
• Photos of Uniquely U Event Flyer
• Photos of St. Mary Congregational Church
• Photos of James A Herod Home Museum Ribbon Cutting

Artifacts & Memorabilia

• The Blob DVD
• Abbeville Christmas Stroll flag (original)
• Wooden Coin – Commemorating 175 Years of Abbeville
• Mini Crawfish sack with City of Abbeville
• I Love Abbeville Landyard
• Abbeville Christmas Stroll Ornament Collection (2003–2024)
• Cattle Festival 75th Celebration Box (includes tumbler and additional item)
• Omelette Celebration includes T-shirt, Member list, & Tabloid publication
• Bobby Charles CD
• Two pennies – 1995 and 2025
• Bottle of Steen’s Syrup
• Old Abbeville Land Use Comprehensive Plan, 1980
• Thumb Drive with digital time capsule

Special Notes

The thumb drive containing the digital time capsule is secured in the vault at City Hall. The thumb drive was intentionally not placed inside the capsule to prevent potential damage over time.
Stored with the secured thumb drive are the following items:
An I-Phone with a charger containing loaded photos, an older City-issued phone with a charger