Hartsfield-Jackson airport officials bury time capsule to mark a century of flight

ATLANTA, Ga. — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is celebrating 100 years of aviation history by preserving its past for the next generation.

Airport leaders gathered Tuesday to bury a historic time capsule on Stogner Hill, sealing a century’s worth of memories until the year 2126.

One hundred years ago, the City of Atlanta purchased an abandoned racetrack, which eventually evolved into the world’s busiest airport.

The newly buried time capsule is packed with historical memorabilia, including:

• A copy of the airport’s original lease agreement
• Mail from the first airmail flight in 1926
• A View-Master of runway 10-28, which opened in 2006
• Domestic Terminal Canopy LED light
• Concourse D Expansion Project 3D Printed module
• Mayor’s 5K on the runway medals
• A letter from Mayor Andre Dickens
• Environmental, Social and Governance report
• COVID-19 care kit

The capsule also contains a personal letter from General Manager Ricky Smith addressed directly to the airport’s future stewards.

“To the people of ATL in 2126, if you’re reading this, you already know something we don’t,” Smith wrote. “You know what happened next.”

The centennial milestone aims to honor both the airport’s physical infrastructure and the thousands of people who make the airport run – some who have their names on buildings, others who don’t.

“There are thousands of others whose names people will never know, never heard of: the people who poured the concrete, work the ramps, clean the terminals, fix all issues, help passengers find their way,” said Jan Lennon, airport executive deputy general manager.

Airport Business Advisor Michael Smith emphasized that the human element remains Hartsfield-Jackson’s true legacy.

“Facilities will change, technology will change, the way people travel will change,” Smith said. “But there will always be a person who needs directions, a family trying to make connections, employees solving a problem, or people arriving to Atlanta for the very first time.”

He also noted how much the airport has withstood over the years.

“I hope we never lose our resilience. I’ve seen ATL survive airline bankruptcies, economic downturns, 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic and countless operational challenges,” he said. “Every time, ATL adapted and kept moving.”

As current leaders look toward the next century, the overarching message of the day is that they can never stop looking ahead for the people who will come after them.

“You have to build for tomorrow without losing sight of what people need today,” said Frank Rucker, airport senior deputy general manager of infrastructure.

In his letter, Ricky Smith tells those who are reading it in 100 years that he hopes current leaders served them well.

“I hope you’ve inherited an airport that still connects people to opportunity and to one another,” he said. “An airport that still reflects the ambition of Atlanta, an airport that your generation is proud to call its own.”