OXNARD : Time Capsule to Preserve Bits of City, Circa 1990

In the year 2016, when Oxnard’s Heritage Square time capsule is opened, a bug-eyed Bart Simpson doll, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and neon sunglasses will be among the items that represent society in 1990.

However, the bulk of the items that will fill the time capsule scheduled to be buried Jan. 18 will represent Oxnard, said Dennis Mathews, administrator of the city’s redevelopment agency.

The $8-million Heritage Square project, built with public and private funds, lies between 7th, 8th, A and B streets. There will be 12 restored houses from the 1870s through the 1930s, some housing boutiques or restaurants.

The square also will include fountains, brick walls, old-fashioned lighting, a public address system, a large plaza and parking. It is expected to be completed in April.

“Those things included will be about the houses, about the project, about what was going on in downtown Oxnard in 1990,” Mathews said.

The capsule, a 2- by 3-foot box, will have two compartments, one to be opened in 2016 and the other in 2041. Other items to be included are a local newspaper of the day, information on the building of Heritage Square, the movie of the year, Polaroid snapshots of people who attend the capsule ceremony, a video on Oxnard and a message from Mayor Nao Takasugi.

“We also want to include business cards of everyone associated with the project, right down to the bricklayer,” Mathews said.

The capsule, marked by a plaque, will be buried under the Pfeiler ranch water tower, which was built in 1877 and is part of the oldest restored house in the square. Officials hope the time capsule will focus attention on the project. “We’re looking for tenants, buyers and investors. But we’re also doing it because of a sense that this is the right thing to do. The houses come from all over Oxnard and we feel we’re leaving a record for 50 years from now,” he said.