1795 Capsule to be Opened Tonight. Oldest Capsule Known

POSTON WIDEHEAD · January 06, 2015, 04:47:39 PM

Contains stuff Paul Revere and Sam Adams put in there. I love History like this.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/01/06/1795-time-capsule-buried-by-sam-adams-paul-revere-to-be-opened/

JohnG28 · January 06, 2015, 06:38:04 PM

Now that's cool!

POSTON WIDEHEAD · January 06, 2015, 06:42:33 PM

On the news, they said the box has just been opened. Contents not told. >:(

Alcranb · January 06, 2015, 07:24:20 PM

Just released.

Officials on Tuesday revealed the contents of one of the nation's oldest time capsules, first placed at the Massachusetts State House in 1795 by Governor Samuel Adams and recently recovered during an examination of one of the historic building's granite cornerstones.

The time capsule was opened at the Museum of Fine Arts. Pam Hatchfield, a conservator at the MFA, carefully removed items. Newspapers were among the first objects recovered.

The paper "is in amazingly good condition," Hatchfield said.

Coins were found next, including a 1652 Pine Tree shilling. Also found was a seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A George Washington medal was removed with the inscription "General of the American Army."

The original contents of the time capsule were first placed in 1795 by Governor Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and William Scollay.

The container was initially installed during Adams' gubernatorial tenure with the help of Paul Revere and William Scollay. The copper-alloy time capsule was removed in 1855, when it was cleaned and had some items added to it. It weighs about 10 pounds.

Secretary of State William Galvin has said it's not clear yet whether the state will add to the capsule before it is buried it again. The capsule was found, encased in plaster with coins scattered around it, during a water infiltration investigation at the State House.