By Gabe Themar
On July 17 at 2 p.m., the Riverview Public Library hosted its Time Capsule Opening Ceremony in the James B. “Jim” Johnson Community Room. The event was sponsored by the Friends of the Riverview Public Library.
The time capsule was originally buried in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebration. The original objects in the time capsule included a binder full of photos and newspaper articles from the time, including copies of the Tampa Bay Times and Tampa Tribune as well as photos from Mary Go Round Child Care Center’s opening. The capsule remained closed until 2000, when the first opening ceremony was held at the original 1979 branch on Riverview Drive. After the ceremony ended, new items were introduced to mark the change in times, including several magazines and the latest edition of the since-consolidated East Bay Breeze newspaper.
Jim Johnson, a long-time volunteer at the library and whom the community room hosting the ceremony is named for, cut the ribbon to begin the ceremony and then gave a speech to the many Riverview residents who came to enjoy the ceremony.
“We opened up with big hearts and big rooms,” said Johnson. “And one thing — as a volunteer, you’re not going to get rich, but everything you do has a dollar value. So, volunteers, keep doing it. I’ve done it my entire life, and I thank you all for coming to see our community’s history.”
Johnson also discussed the opening of the current library on Balm Riverview Road, which opened in 2021, as well as the possibility of upgrading the original capsule with a chest better suited to hold the now three generations worth of items inside.
Tammy See introduced the items at the ceremony on behalf of the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce, including a 13-cent stamp, essays written by elementary school students and a pet rock.
Library volunteer Mellissa Langlois also spoke on the community’s history and the county’s history following the opening ceremony and ahead of the 2026 semiquincentennial.
For those interested in learning more about the Riverview Public Library, its future events or the history of the Riverview community, additional information is available at https://hcplc.org/.
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