Museum opens 100-Year-Old Time Capsule

October 24, 2024

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The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, opened a time capsule that had been sealed for 100 years.

It was originally placed inside the Liberty Memorial Tower in 1924 to mark the tower’s dedication, with instructions for it to be opened a century later.

During the summer, the museum carefully removed the capsule, which was buried under 18 inches of limestone and concrete. The process was tricky because the box also contained nitrate film, a material that can be highly flammable.

During a special ceremony on Wednesday, the museum revealed the capsule’s contents. Inside were historical items like newspapers, a Bible, a copy of the U.S. Constitution, and the U.S. declaration of war from April 1917. Letters were also found, including one from President Calvin Coolidge and others from Allied commanders who attended the memorial’s 1921 groundbreaking.

Among the other treasures was a printing plate from the Kansas City Star newspaper dated November 1, 1921. The copper box was engraved with signatures, likely from the people who originally assembled the time capsule, though their identities remain unknown.

This 100-year-old glimpse into the past shows a connection to history and the efforts of those who built the Liberty Memorial.

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