Tuesday, January 23, 2007 Posted 10:52 a.m. (CDT)

On June 15, 1957, a new gold and white 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe was buried in a time capsule in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The car was buried under the lawn of the Tulsa County Courthouse.  It is scheduled to be unearthed June 15 as part of the Oklahoma Centennial.

Promoters are looking for people who helped lower the car into its crypt in 1957 to perhaps shed some light on what to expect when the car is unearthed.  Organizers concede that finding that person or his or her heirs may not be easy.

The old car has been the pleasant surprise of the Oklahoma Centennial.

It had been largely forgotten by the public until work on the Centennial started. The 50 years old files on the semi-centennial and the old car have vanished.

Speculation about the car's condition ranges from rust to hopes that it will be immaculate and therefore worth perhaps more than $25,000.

There was a contest before it was buried. Tulsans were asked to estimate the population of Tulsa as of June 1, 2007. The estimate closest to the population posted by the U.S. Census Bureau wins the Plymouth.

If the winner is dead, the car goes to heirs. If a winner can't be located, it goes to Tulsa.

At the time, the guesses were recorded on microfilm and sealed in a steel container buried with the car.  The time capsule was part of Tulsa's celebration of Oklahoma's semi-centennial. 

The contents of the time capsule includes a women's purse, bobby pins, a bottle of tranquilizers, cigarettes and an unpaid parking ticket, which were added to the glove compartment of the car shortly before burial.

Other items included in the time capsule were:

· 10 gallons of gasoline and 5 quarts of oil

· A Douglas Aircraft Company aerial map of airport facilities and legend

· Statement from Tulsa council of Churches and prayer for greatest good next 50 years a recently completed history of churches in Tulsa and a directory of the present churches

· Statement from board of education, historical data related to 50 years of education in Tulsa and copies of "School Life" all-high school publication issued by Tulsa high schools each month

· Statements from mayor and Chamber of Commerce officials

· Flags that have been flown over the national capitol, state capitol and in the county and city

· Other aerial photos of the area

· Statement from Tulsa Trades and Labor Council

· Statements from all former mayors of the city, with their record of service and civic accomplishments in the city, state and nationally

A crane will be required to lift the top from the concrete vault. The old car will be placed on a trailer and towed to the convention center to be on exhibit for a couple of days.