Cabin 506 Mrs. Vejraska

The city of Ember is a strange place.  Things are old and worn, store rooms are running out of supplies, but you know that in the past they have had things like we do today.  My question for today is about the setting of the book.  Do you think that Ember is in the past, or the future?  Think about all of the things we have heard about in the book, and be sure to support your answer with at least one detail from the story.