Museum will be open by appointment only from Dec. 19, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026 by calling (651) 261-9888. Museum reopens March 6, 2026 from 1-4PM.
From 1976 to 1978: Items were collected by North St. Paul's community members and placed inside the metal time capsule
Items were sealed inside by K&G Research Company
December 27, 1978: Time capsule was buried outside the original library building, now the North Star Museum
Time capsule will be unearthed during a June History Cruzers Car Show
June 25, 2026: Both the North St. Paul Historical Society and the North Star Museum will host a joint event where the contents of the Bicentennial Capsule will be on display
Donors dropped off items at the library.
Items were collected from 1976 to 1978.
K&G Research Company employee sealed the capsule.
December 27, 1978
Folks present at the capsule burial look forward to it being opened this summer.
Capsule being lowered in the ground.
North St. Paul officials shoveled dirt on top (a sidewalk added later) to bury the capsule.
On February 4, 2026, city workers temporarily removed the cannon from its most recent home outside of the North St. Paul Historical Society
The cannon was installed in 1925 in Cannon Park, formerly known as Central Park. Cannon Park is now known as Veterans Memorial Park.
The cannon is a 6-inch Howitzer, Model of 1908 made in 1911 by Bethlehem Steel for $1,500. It originally had wooden spokes and inner wheel rims. It has never been fired.
The American Legion created a WWI memorial to North St. Paul veterans which included the cannon, machine guns, and a plaque with 150 names of those who served, including eight who died.
Originally, the cannon had two .30 caliber Browning water-cooled machine guns on either side.
The machine guns were vandalized and one was stolen. Eventually, the remaining one was removed.
These three photos are the only known photos with the machine guns pictured.
By 1984, the plaque was covered in green paint and graffiti. The wooden wheels were falling apart.
The cannon was partially restored in 1989. Pictured from left are Mayor Bill Sandberg, restoration coordinator Charles Schleicher, and American Legion Commander Bill Crowther after a complete restoration in 1997.
After temporarily living in the American Legion's building for protection, the restored plaque was placed in the Veterans Memorial Park.
When the VFW and the American Legion decided to create the Veterans Memorial Park, they wanted to celebrate the people rather than the weapons, so the cannon was left at the former veterans park next to the North St. Paul Historical Museum. This is where it has resided, until recently.
In need of refurbishment once again, the cannon was taken away on February 4, 2026.
City workers who removed the heavy cannon from its location outside the museum.
The city will be taking it to their shop to sandblast and paint the cannon.
After refurbishing, the cannon will be returned to its home outside the museum and continue to be a piece of North St. Paul history.