UNION — Randy Scott. Bob Heald. Christmas trees, Elm trees, and time capsules. Through planning Union’s Sestercentennial, themed “looking back to look ahead,” the town gained new features and modern touches to help maintain its roots at what is referred to as the oldest public town common in Maine.

As residents watch Sunday, July 21, at 3 p.m., at the Common, for the burial of a new time capsule, they will see a stainless steel box lowered into the ground, near where the previous capsule resided for 50 years.

Continuing a tradition of using a time capsule built by a Union business, the town looked to Steel-Pro, which is moving to Union from Rockland. The previous capsule, buried at the Common in 1974, came from Thurston Brothers casket. And historians were left with directions to find that casket when the time finally came: “8 feet from the Civil War monument, at a 45 degree angle.”

Helping excavate the old capsule were Ken Kieran, of Union Farm Equipment (celebrating 75 years), Steve Ladd, of Steel-Pro, and Keith Seigel, a Sestercentennial committee member. Despite the “8 feet” clue, they had some trouble finding the box.

“It was a lot of hard work and dedication to figure out the logistics of where 1974’s bicentennial time capsule was buried, and then getting it out, excavating it, etc,” said Tracy Weed, a member of the Sestercentennial committee.

The new box, however, comes at a time of GPS technology, and is anticipated to be easily found when the next unearthing takes place.

While some committee members dedicated attention to the capsules, others worked on preparing the grounds for the ceremonial look back.

A Christmas tree has been planted on the Common as a symbol of the holiday seasons and will be illuminated next winter along with the other lighted symbols of the season. Placed beneath the tree is a stone etched by Maine Monuments, in Appleton, to honor the man that so many knew and loved, according to Rick Pease, of Union Hardware. The dedication is to Randy Scott, Christmas tree farmer, who also left his mark making many bird houses for the streets around Union throughout the years.

“This man was a friend to many. He was a friend to me,” said Pease. “He was a father, a husband, a grandfather. And so missed by all who knew him.”

The tree was planted by The Town of Union crew and Farley and Sons, with Tom Farley having a big part in it.

“It’s wonderful to honor people like Randy Scott,” said Tracy Weed.

Many Union residents also knew Bob Heald, who was the originator of the bird houses that mark the streets throughout the town.

“As we were planning and talking about what’s missing on the common, we thought, ‘there should be a birdhouse,’ said Argy Nestor. 

Stephanie Turner unveiled the birdhouse during the Sestercentennial opening ceremony. Out of the goodness of her heart, Turner takes care of the gardens around the bandstand, and the trough that’s filled with flowers, “and she does it lovingly,” said Weed.

And, for those visitors who want a sense of Union’s history, the map on the common since 1968, replicated from the novel “Come Spring,” has had a second repainting (the first in 1982), along with some additions. The back side of the map will provide history of the common and will have pictures from around the common from the late 1800s/early 1900s.

“It will not only provide information, but it will give us a chance to share our history with people who come and visit,” said Nestor.

Because of obstacles along the way, and because of a desire to have schoolchildren be a part of the dedication ceremony, the contents of the backside of the map will be unveiled in September.

Meanwhile, a young elm tree, freshly planted, creates its own roots in the soil of a common once covered with elms.

Reach Sarah Thompson@news@penbaypilot.com