Helium Monument Time Capsule Reveal

The Event

The Helium Time Columns Monument Committee in conjunction with the Discovery Center will be hosting an event celebrating the 50 year column opening on September 29, 2018, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm.
The items from the time capsule will be revealed and available for viewing during the celebration. The celebration will include the following:

• Exciting LIVE Science Demonstrations
• Live music by Eddie Esler and DJ Gemini
• An official ceremony marking this historic event will begin at 1:00 pm.
• Food Trucks will be on location for guests to enjoy: Pizza Nomad, Manny’s Tacos and more.
• Fun family activities such as DIY Time Capsules, Face Painting, Balloons, and more.

For more information, please visit the Helium Time Capsule webpage.

Get more Involved!

TxDOT is Preserving the Past for the Future – Amarillo Helium Plant

Do you have photographs from your days at the Amarillo Helium Plant? How about timecards or a uniform? Got a story to tell about extracting helium? Though Amarillo’s Helium Plant has long been closed, you can help ensure that this historic site is not forgotten.

SHARE YOUR STORY:

• Bring your mementos and memorabilia! Volunteers will be on hand to photograph and scan them. All original material will be returned immediately.
• Tell us about your connection to the plant for a potential future oral history documentation effort.

We’ll be waiting for you on September 29, 2018 from 10:00am to 2:00pm in rooms East 1 and East 2 in the Don Harrington Discovery Center. Follow the signs from the parking area.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)’s historic preservation program is a proud sponsor of this portion of the Helium Monument Time Capsule Reveal Event. TxDOT goes Beyond the Road to share history along the highway in communities all over Texas. If you can’t attend the event but would still like to share your story, please contact Mark Brown at (512) 416-2600.

• New items will be placed and resealed in the time capsule for future generations to view in the year 2093. Have an idea of what could be included? Submit it here!

Helium Monument Background/History

The Helium Centennial Time Columns Monument was erected in Amarillo, Texas during 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of helium. Amarillo was selected for its central role in the US Government’s strategic helium reserve and the gas production from the Cliffside Gas Field beginning in 1927. The Bureau of Mines placed the Amarillo Helium Plant in operation in 1929 and has maintained its headquarters for the Federal Helium Program in Amarillo. In 1982 the Helium Monument was airlifted by helicopter from I-40 and Nelson to its current site at the Don Harrington Discovery Center.

Funding for the Time Columns Monument and site was obtained through contributions from individuals, and private and public organizations, especially those in the local helium industry. In May of 1993, the first time capsule in one leg of the monument was opened during a two-day celebration organized by the Silver Celebrations Committee.