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12/22/2024 08:20:18 am

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100 Year Old-Time Capsule Inside Baltimore's Washington Monument won't be Opened

Washington Monument in Baltimore, MD

Washington Monument in Baltimore, MD

A century old time capsule was recently discovered in Baltimore, Maryland and officials are afraid to pry it open because apparent damage to its casing might have ruined the contents inside.

The box will be transported to the Walters Art Museum where art conservators will carefully determine if the contents can be salvaged or not.

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Officials found the 100 year-old time capsule while restoring Baltimore's Washington Monument. The monument's 200th anniversary will be celebrated in 2015.

The time capsule was placed inside the monument 100 years ago on September 12, 1915 during the monument's centennial celebration.

The capsule was found last Wednesday behind a plaque that says 1915. Restorers had no clue a time capsule was hidden in the monument. George Wilk II, the project's superintendent, said they discovered the capsule by accident while they are inspecting the plaque for repairs.

Wilk says he reached out behind the plaque and took a photo that revealed an old box. Restorers were at the monument to learn more about what kind of plaster was originally used for the building's construction.

To date, the capsule has not been opened. Wilk and his team are ecstatic over their new discovery.

An X-ray image of the box revealed it contains copies of the Baltimore Sun and programs for the Washington Monument's centennial, among many other items.

The Conservancy also plans to embed its own time capsule in place of the 1915 one. According to Lance Humphries, chair of the Mt. Vernon Conservancy Restoration Committee, the plan is to fill the capsule with objects that will make sense to people 100 years from now.

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