Airport Time Capsule Unlocked

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PictureSenator Witkos stands next to the original corner stone at Bradley International Airport, Terminal B.

 State leaders, local officials and lawmakers gathered to unlock a piece of history hidden away for the past 63 years: a time capsule uncovered in Bradley International Airport’s Terminal B.


State Senator Kevin Witkos (R-Canton) joined fellow legislators, surrounding town officials, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) Executive Director Kevin Dillon and CAA Board Chair Mary Ellen Jones to open the time capsule that was placed behind the cornerstone of “Murphy Terminal” in 1951. State leaders discussed changing times at the airport as Terminal B is being demolished in anticipation for a new ground transportation center and updated terminal.

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Loretta Dyson, niece of the late Francis S. Murphy shows off a newspaper found inside the time capsule.

“This is an important time for advancing transportation in Connecticut,” said Witkos. “New construction plans at Bradley mean big changes for the way we travel in Connecticut. The project aims to make travel to and from the airport easier for thousands of people. Demolishing the old terminal is an important step in the process and a sign of noteworthy and commendable change. As we close one chapter in history, another one opens.”  
 
Inside the time capsule various pieces of memorabilia were discovered including a Hartford Times newspaper dated Nov. 29, 1951, black and white photographs of what the terminal looked like during construction, official records from nearby towns, copies of laws and regulations in place at the time, and a map of the airport.


Also present to help open the time capsule was Loretta Dyson, niece of the late Francis S. Murphy—the editor and publisher of the Hartford Times, chair of the Connecticut Aeronautics Commission, and the namesake for the terminal.


Plans for the new transportation center include consolidated rental car facilities, hundreds of new public parking spaces, and a station for buses to connect to the Windsor Locks train station. Plans for a new terminal are also in the works.