Politics & Government

Time Capsule Reveal: Stroh's Beer Can Won't Last 50 Years

A can of Detroit-brewed Stroh's beer placed in time capsule when town was incorporated didn't survive, but other relics did.

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WESTLAND, MI – If you ever wondered how long a can of Detroit-brewed Stroh’s beer will last before the container rusts, the answer is an imprecise “not 50 years.”

The can of beer was among the items placed in a time capsule 50 years ago when Westland was incorporated.

When the time capsule was opened Monday, the can had rusted and stale beer was leaking from it, according to Hometownlife.com.

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“I feel like Howard Carter opening King Tut’s tomb,” Westland Historic Commission Chairman Jeff Koslowski said as he fished items from the cylindrical capsule

The time capsule revealed other relics, like a reel of audio tape, which by 1966 had revolutionized the broadcasting and recording industries. It meant live radio programs could be pre-recorded, and it gave a tremendous advantage to musicians, who could record music over several sessions, then mix and edit with minimal loss in quality.

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Also found along with the usual papers and documents placed in the time capsule were a Yellow Pages phone book, a Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog, a pack of cigarettes that was among the first containing a health warning mandated by Congress in 1965, playing cards, model cars, a Bic ballpoint pen and other memorabilia from 1966.

» Read more about the time capsule on hometownlife.com.

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