By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
History was made in Del Rio Wednesday with the unearthing of a time capsule preserved the year after a deadly August 1998 flood.
The opening of the time capsule took place on the front lawn of the Del Rio Civic Center at 10:30 a.m., and began with Michael Diaz, director of the Whitehead Memorial Museum, talking about the history of the flood.
Video of Time Capsule Ceremony (2)
“Twenty-six years ago, on Aug. 23, 1998, Tropical Storm Charley (went) over the city of Del Rio, and caused the San Felipe Creek to rise and caused so much destruction that night. We lost property, we lost family and friends; it was a really horrible night that happened. But from that night, the community came together to rebuild. . . It showed how a community can come together to help (people) you don’t even know,” Diaz said.
Diaz said a committee got together a year after the flood to
preserve the history of one of Del Rio’s most tragic events by putting items inside a time capsule and burying it. He said Wednesday is the twenty-fifth-year anniversary of when the time capsule was buried.
Mayor Al Arreola attended the ceremony and shared his memories and thoughts of the flood.
He began with a moment of silence for those who lost their lives during the flood and for former councilwoman Elizabeth Elizalde de Calderon, who passed away on Saturday, Aug. 24.
“(The flood) was a devastating thing that happened citywide. It went from the north side to the south side. We all came together as a family, and we continue growing our relationships with everyone around.
“Nobody can tell you how you felt that day, but we felt it together. We became a city that bonded on the needs of not only the San Felipe area, but on the north side and citizens on the north side. Like I stated earlier, the city of Del Rio really became tougher, and we continue moving forward,” Arreola said.
Arreola finished by thanking everyone who attended the ceremony, including former mayor Robert Chavira, who was the mayor during the flood of 1998.
Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr., Councilman Randy Quiñones, Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez and Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez attended the ceremony and shared their thoughts and memories of the flood as well.
Blanca Larson, Del Rio Chamber of Commerce executive director, spoke in Spanish to recognize Martiona and Manuel Pina in the audience, whose mother, Maria T. Pina, died during the flood. Chavira was the last speaker to express his experience and memories from the flood.
“I know I would have done things differently, but at the time you don’t have a lot of time to think. You do what needs to be done and get on with it. Again, thank you, Mayor (Arreola) for giving me the opportunity to be here with you,” Chavira said.
The time capsule was then brought out for everyone to see. Arreola, Chavira and the city council members present browsed through the items to reveal them to the crowd. What was inside the capsule were newspapers from 1998, a baseball cap, collections of business cards and letters and a binder with items from the time capsule planning committee of 1999.
Diaz finished the ceremony saying the Whitehead Memorial Museum has an exhibit of photos and artifacts from the flood of 1998 that will be on display at the civic center through Saturday, Aug. 31. The exhibit is part of Whitehead’s permanent collection and is available for public viewing.
