The Orpheus Project: The Washington, D.C. Time Capsule

Rich Washburn
Oct 2
7 min read

Updated: Oct 4

The Orpheus Project

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America Made Great Again – The Washington, D.C. Time Capsule Born on a phone call. Fueled by bourbon. Maybe accidentally historic.

This whole thing started the way a lot of wild ideas do:"You got a minute?" turned into an hour. Next thing you know, we’re three fingers into a bottle of bourbon, watching the news, talking politics, and swapping old stories about D.C.—and somehow we went from “remember when…” to “we should document this whole damn thing before it disappears.”

I swear, it felt like the phone call version of the Green Dragon Tavern—minus the powdered wigs, plus better audio quality.

Bob’s got a toe (okay, a whole leg) still dipped in the political scene. I’ve got a long history of building cool things with cameras and code. And suddenly, we realized we weren’t just talking—we were planning a revolution.A preservation revolution.

What If We Froze This Moment in American History—Before It Changed Again?

Not to “go viral.” Not to build clout.

But because this chapter—the one we’re living through right now—deserves to be remembered. Not in think tanks. Not in textbooks. In color. In texture. In pixels and print and deep, immersive fidelity.

The Orpheus Project Isn’t Content. It’s Cultural Archaeology.

We’re building a multi-layered time capsule—an artifact that documents Washington, D.C. as it looks, sounds, and feels in the year America turns 250.

It comes in three layers:

📕 Layer 1: The Patriotic Photo Book

America Made Great Again: A Portrait of Washington, D.C.

A museum-grade coffee table book + 2026 commemorative calendar
Cinematic photos of monuments, neighborhoods, people, street art, protest signs, flags, all of it
Not polished propaganda—real, human, historical texture

🧭 Layer 2: The XR Digital Archive

High-resolution 3D scans of historic D.C. sites
Fully immersive, explorable in VR/XR—like Google Earth had a love child with a national monument
Every scratch in the marble, every cracked sidewalk slab—digitally frozen for posterity

📲 Layer 3: The Orpheus Media Chronicle

Real-time social storytelling as we build
Candid moments, interviews, behind-the-scenes shots, street scenes
And then—we shut it down. No more posts. Just a preserved digital museum floating in cyberspace, sealed like amber

So… Why “Orpheus”?

In Greek mythology, Orpheus was the guy whose music could literally stop time. His song could hold a moment, keep beauty from fading.

We’re doing the same thing—but instead of a lyre, we’ve got a Leica and LiDAR. Our mission: pause this moment. Frame it. Save it.Before the next one takes its place.

Why Now?

Because in July 2026, America turns 250.

And look—whether you’re waving a flag, burning one, or just trying to keep your inbox under control—this country is changing. Fast.

When the dust settles, future generations are going to ask:

“What was America like at 250?”

And the Orpheus Project is going to be the box they open to find out.

Who We’re Building This With

We’re not trying to replace the movements already in motion—we’re amplifying them.

The Heritage Foundation. 917 Society. Moms for Liberty. Veterans groups. Local boots-on-the-ground crews.If it’s red, white, and active—we want to document it.

No endorsements. No spin.Just the pulse of a nation mid-renewal.

How You Can Join

We’re calling in Founding Partners. Legacy builders. Visionaries with a little dust on their boots.

Founding Partners get:

Permanent placement across the book, XR archive, and media chronicle
Early access to limited releases and behind-the-scenes content
Association with the America 250 Time Capsule
A cultural footprint that will outlast platforms, trends, and even us

Let’s Not Overthink It:

This isn’t content for clicks. It’s not some souped-up ad campaign.

It’s a love letter.A map.A bottle of bourbon cracked open at history’s halfway point, and the story we decided to write down before we forgot.

Whether they open it in 2026, 2076, or 2176—they’ll see what we saw. And maybe they’ll get the fire we had, too.

Join Us

We’re capturing the capital.We’re preserving the moment.

Want in? Let’s talk. There’s room at the table—and possibly a fourth glass of bourbon waiting.

The Orpheus Project: An Invitation to Shape American Legacy

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1. The Vision: Preserving a National Moment

At this pivotal moment in our nation’s history, with America on the cusp of its 250th anniversary, there exists a unique opportunity to preserve a chapter of renewal that deserves to be remembered. The Orpheus Project is not a media campaign; it is a historic cultural preservation initiative. Its mission is to immortalize this defining era by creating a permanent, multi-faceted time capsule of our nation's capital, capturing the pulse of a country renewing itself for generations to come.

Not Endless Content. Legacy.

The central concept of this project is to freeze a moment in time. The name "Orpheus" is drawn from mythology, where the artist's music was so profound it could suspend time and preserve beauty against decay. In that same spirit, The Orpheus Project uses the modern tools of photography, immersive technology, and narrative storytelling to achieve a similar goal: to preserve Washington, D.C. "in amber," creating an indelible record for posterity. This vision provides the foundation for capturing the specific, historic moment our nation is approaching.

2. The Opportunity: America at 250 Years

The strategic importance of this project is magnified by its timing. Its execution is directly aligned with one of the most significant milestones in our nation's history: America's Semiquincentennial. In July 2026, the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary, and The Orpheus Project is positioned to become a defining contribution to this national moment.

This is a unique chapter of American history—a patriotic moment of renewal that deserves to be crystallized and remembered as a defining era of national rediscovery. The Orpheus Project will serve as a modern artifact for this 250th-anniversary celebration, documenting the movements and energy of our time. Anchored by its flagship photo book, America Made Great Again: A Portrait of Washington, D.C., the project is designed to resonate with and chronicle the work of organizations from the Heritage Foundation and the 917 Society to Moms for Liberty and veterans groups. Just as the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence stand as enduring symbols from past generations, this initiative will offer a contribution of similar cultural permanence for our time.

3. A Multi-Layered Time Capsule: The Three Pillars of Preservation

The innovative power of The Orpheus Project lies in its three-pillar approach, which combines traditional, contemporary, and future-facing media to create a comprehensive and enduring record. Each layer contributes a unique dimension to the time capsule, ensuring its relevance and accessibility for audiences today and far into the future.

3.1 The Patriotic Photo Book: America Made Great Again: A Portrait of Washington, D.C.

This component is the tangible, physical anchor of the time capsule, a visual chronicle of our capital’s monuments, neighborhoods, and people. It ensures the project has a permanent, physical presence that can be held, displayed, and passed down.

• Outputs:

◦ A museum-grade coffee table edition.

◦ A limited-release 2026 commemorative calendar.

3.2 The XR Digital Archive: An Interactive Legacy

This is the project's cutting-edge, immersive pillar, designed to serve as an educational and patriotic digital legacy for future generations. It allows for the virtual preservation of America’s capital, frozen in this era, enabling people to experience its historic sites with unparalleled fidelity.

• Features:

◦ High-resolution 3D scans of historic sites.

◦ Interactive "walkthroughs" for VR/XR platforms.

3.3 The Orpheus Media Chronicle: A Living, Frozen Narrative

This layer is the real-time, dynamic storytelling component that captures the pulse of the city as the project unfolds. It provides a living narrative through behind-the-scenes access and authentic cultural snapshots.

• Scope:

◦ Real-time storytelling across key platforms: Instagram, X, Truth Social, YouTube, and TikTok.

◦ Content focus: Behind-the-scenes access, candid interviews, street-level conversations, dining, and cultural snapshots.

Crucially, this dynamic element is finite by design. Upon project completion, these channels will be frozen as a digital museum exhibit—a curated archive in cyberspace.

This three-part structure does more than capture a moment; it creates a permanent, multi-dimensional platform for legacy—offering our partners an unparalleled opportunity to embed their identity within this historic artifact.

4. The Value Proposition: Why Partner with The Orpheus Project?

This is not a sponsorship; it is an accession into the historical record. A partnership with The Orpheus Project is a distinct opportunity for an organization to embed its brand into a permanent piece of American cultural history, aligning with a national milestone and securing a legacy that will endure for decades. Founding Partners receive a comprehensive suite of benefits designed for maximum impact and long-term value.

1. Enduring Brand Legacy Secure a permanent association with American history. Your organization's identity will be woven into the fabric of the photo book, the XR archive, and the frozen media chronicle—ensuring your legacy endures for generations, long after 2026.

2. Powerful Brand Alignment This initiative provides a premier opportunity for cross-platform brand alignment with the core themes of patriotism, heritage, and cultural preservation. This association is powerfully amplified by its connection to America's 250th anniversary, a moment of national renewal and celebration.

3. Prominent Multi-Platform Visibility Founding Partners receive prominent placement across all three project layers. Recognition will be featured in the museum-grade photo book, integrated within the immersive XR archive, and showcased throughout the Orpheus Media Chronicle for comprehensive and consistent visibility.

4. Exclusive Access & Content Partners gain access to exclusive assets, including behind-the-scenes content during production for use in internal storytelling and public relations. Additionally, partners will receive exclusive early releases of items like the limited-edition commemorative calendars and special book editions, ideal for use as premium corporate gifts.

This is a one-time, unrepeatable patriotic endeavor. Partnership offers a chance to be recognized as a visionary contributor not just to a celebration, but to a permanent artifact of American renewal.

5. About Rich Washburn

The Orpheus Project is spearheaded by Rich Washburn, a technologist, creator, storyteller, and fireworks enthusiast. His career represents a unique fusion of technical expertise and creative passion.

As CIO and Chief AI Strategist at Eliakim Capital, Rich builds the future for a living, delivering scalable AI systems for hyperscalers, defense contractors, and startups. With The Orpheus Project, he is applying that same forward-looking vision to preserving America's past. His personal passion has always been at the intersection of technology and storytelling—through photography, XR, design, and the art of preserving moments that matter.

He has a proven track record of blending innovation with creativity through past projects like Xplosive Art, which captured the high-speed beauty of fireworks, and Aperture Adventurers, which focused on hands-on photography education. The Orpheus Project is the culmination of this dual expertise—his next and biggest step: building an artifact of America’s spirit at 250, one that may well culminate in a patriotic fireworks show to celebrate a story sealed in amber.

6. Join Us in Making History

The Orpheus Project is underway, driven by a mission to create a lasting time capsule for America's 250th anniversary. We are building a vivid portrait of Washington, D.C. in this chapter of renewal—an artifact that can be opened in 2026, 2076, or 2176 and still speak to the spirit of our nation.

We are now identifying the select Founding Partners who will secure their place in this once-in-a-generation effort.