PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota is preparing to send a piece of its heritage to Philadelphia as part of a national effort to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. The state nonpartisan organization, America250SD, recently approved the items that will represent South Dakota in America’s Time Capsule, a vessel destined to remain underground for the next two and a half centuries.

The capsule will be buried on July 4, 2026, and is scheduled to be reopened in the year 2276. South Dakota’s contribution features a specially designed edition of the poem This Far Country by Joseph Bottum, published by the South Dakota Historical Society Press. The submission also includes a formal letter from Governor Larry Rhoden, and the commission is currently coordinating with tribal governments across the state to include additional correspondence.

While residents in areas like Rapid City and Sioux Falls often participate in local preservation efforts, this initiative serves as the official, congressionally mandated record for the federal Commission. The vessel itself is a feat of modern engineering, developed alongside scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and preservation experts from the Library of Congress to ensure the contents survive the 250-year dormancy.

“Given the small dimensions allowed to each state, the commission believed This Far Country encapsulated South Dakota’s unique perspective and so we arranged for a specially designed edition made to fit the space,” said Dr. Ben Jones, Chair of America’s 250th South Dakota. “When the poem and the letters are opened in 2276, Americans marking the Quincentennial, will have words from the Governor and This Far Country poem reflecting our experiences living out the principles of the Declaration of Independence.”

The project aims to provide a representative snapshot of all states and territories at this significant milestone in American history. For those in Rapid City and beyond looking for more information on the state’s involvement, resources are available through the official America 250 SD website.