Thursday, July 2, 2020

N.C. Archaeologists and Conservators Open 1894 Time Capsule

Raleigh
Jul 2, 2020

Today, archaeologists and conservators from the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources opened a time capsule buried in 1894 beneath the cornerstone of the Confederate Soldiers Monument on Union Square in Raleigh. 

A newspaper clipping from the time lists the items that were placed in the capsule.
 
Video of the opening can be downloaded here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VrFR2yqcPMk42fBur6JMMsIhRIRnVxmN/view?…;
 
Photos are available here: 
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fq8uniqrofq4ul7/AABmy3B0Klj45XmbQeQ4nLKua?dl…;
 
Because the metal box containing the items had rusted through in places, the items contained in the time capsule were severely damaged by the elements. Items recovered so far include a wooden box, a stone thought to be from Gettysburg, two buttons attached to a piece of textile and a strand of what appears to be horse hair. Preservation work on these items and the metal box itself has begun.