Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has announced that several state offices have participated in the Missouri Bicentennial Time Capsule project. Created by the Missouri Bicentennial Commission, the capsule will hold items contributed by organizations, institutions and businesses, as well as local and state government agencies, for a period of 25 years before it will be opened by the State Historical Society of Missouri. Included in the items that are going into the Time Capsule are copies of the 1865 ordinance abolishing slavery, the 1913 law creating the Missouri state flag, an 1820 map establishing the Missouri territory, photos of Bagnell Dam, the construction of the St Louis Arch, a photo Downtown Jefferson City during the flood of 1993 and more. Items representing the future included a sealed letter from Secretary Ashcroft asking tomorrow’s Missourians to preserve the rights and freedoms for future generations. He concluded the letter with these words: “Make the most of today because today will soon be your past.”