Patti Dozier
May 15, 2008 09:37 pm
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THOMASVILLE — Philip Faulk and his sister, Charity Faulk Manwaring, were 18 and 11, respectively, when a time capsule was buried at their late father’s automobile agency.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, the capsule will be unearthed and its contents revealed.
In the spring of 1971, the capsule was buried at Faulk Chevrolet, which had completed a yearlong construction project and moved to 1630 E. Jackson St.
Prestige Nissan is at the site today. Jeff Bryson, general manager, said the capsule is on the front south corner of the building. “We were told three to five feet (down),” Bryson said.
A metal detector made two hits. A former Faulk Chevrolet employee pointed out the area where hits were made.
A backhoe will do the honors Saturday during Prestige’s three-day Customer Appreciation Weekend.
“We hope it doesn’t turn out to be a Geraldo (Rivera) and (Al) Capone’s safe,” Bryson said.
The capsule is being unearthed and opened to honor the Faulk family, Bryson said. Contents of the capsule will be returned to the Faulks.
A new capsule and contents will be buried. “We may turn around and unearth it in 30 years,” the general manager explained.
Faulk recalled that family photos were placed in the capsule.
Manwaring recalls the Faulk Chevrolet groundbreaking in the spring of 1970 and the dealership opening a year later, but she does not recall burial of the time capsule.
However, she ventured a guess as to what might be in the capsule: Most likely that day’s edition of the Times-Enterprise, material about that year’s Chevrolet models and price list, gasoline prices and employee photos and/or names.
“That would be the kind of stuff my daddy would think of — the prices of the day,” Manwaring said.
Prestige’s Customer Appreciation Weekend, which began Thursday, continues today from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The event offers car clinics, giveaways, food and entertainment for children.
“We thought it would be neat to bring up history of the Nissan store and this property,” Bryson said.
Faulk Chevrolet was sold in 1978. Ralph Faulk died in June 1991.
His son will approach unearthing of the capsule with mixed feelings. A number of Faulk family members who were present for the dealership groundbreaking, opening and burial of the capsule have died.
While Faulk said that while he eagerly anticipates learning the capsule’s contents, he cannot avoid recalling the presence of now-deceased family members during dealership milestones.
“I think it’s going to be fun to see what’s in there,” he said.
Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 220.
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