Daily Herald opinion: Spirit of collaboration: DuPage County time capsule a reminder that 2026 is about more than divided politics

When DuPage County officials gathered last week to fill a time capsule as part of an ongoing celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, it was a unifying event.

Mayors, village presidents and other representatives from 19 villages and cities across DuPage attended the June 9 ceremony at the county complex in Wheaton.

They were joined by county board members and countywide elected leaders, who also placed items into the metal storage trunk. Other communities, including Bartlett, Glen Ellyn and Naperville, submitted their contributions beforehand.

The time capsule was sealed and placed inside a column outside the entrance of the county’s administration building, where it will remain for the next 25 years. It contains an eclectic list of stuff, including photographs, challenge coins, collectible pins, decorative mugs and copies of newspaper articles.

But as DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy pointed out during last week’s event, the time capsule “represents more than just objects and documents.”

“It reflects our successes and challenges, the spirit of our communities, the strength of our partnerships and, most importantly, our shared commitment to public service,” Conroy said.

She added, “One day, our successors will open this capsule and gain an understanding of the issues we faced, our values, and our hopes for the future.”

There’s little doubt that 2026 will be remembered as a time of polarization in the United States.

However, when folks open DuPage’s time capsule in 2051, a vast majority of what they find will not be reminders of political disputes and partisan animosity.

Instead, they will find items such as a letter to the future from the village of Glen Ellyn, a Christmas ornament from Addison, a police patch from Glendale Heights, a newsletter from Warrenville, a wooden train whistle from West Chicago, a Prairie Fest shirt from Wood Dale, and a shirt from Itasca commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.

Roselle Mayor David Pileski said during last week’s time capsule ceremony that a defining strength of DuPage has been the enduring partnership between its county and municipal governments.

“Every day, our communities work alongside DuPage County to address challenges, deliver essential services and advance initiatives that improve the quality of life for those we serve,” Pileski said.

With so many local officials coming together to fill the county’s time capsule, it’s clear that the spirit of collaboration is alive and well in DuPage. Hopefully, that mindset — and not the divisiveness of politics — will flourish during the next 25 years.