Baltimore time capsule may never be opened. While renovating the Washington Monument in Baltimore, conservators discovered a time capsule from 1915. Experts are now afraid to open the copper box because they believe that the content will be destroyed if exposed to the air.
A Baltimore time capsule dating from 1915 may forever remain a mystery. Workers renovating The Washington Monument in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland, found a time capsule in the shape of a copper box.
The Washington Monument located in Baltimore, constructed between 1815 and 1829, is the first architectural monument erected to honor George Washington. It was designed by Robert Mills, who also designed the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.
The 100-year-old time capsule was hiding behind a plaque commemorating the monument’s centennial on Defender’s Day, Sept. 12, 1915. George WilkII, who is leading the restoration project found the time capsule on October 16 as he was investigating how the plaque was attached to the wall. Wilk explained to a Baltimore reporter:
“I removed the plaque just enough to stick my hand behind the plaque to stick a camera back there and take a photo.In the photo showed a box so I reattached the plaque and called Dr. Humphries to let him know that there was a box in the niche behind the plaque.”
According to several reports, it is believed that the time capsule contains commemorative copies of The Baltimore Sun and other local historical artifacts, but we may never know.
Baltimore Washington Monument officials are afraid to open the box. Conservationists say that the contents of the time capsule have become damp, and may disintegrate if exposed to the air.
The mysterious Baltimore time capsule was moved to the nearby Walters Art Museum for safekeeping, officials do not plan to open it anytime soon.
Mount Vernon Place Conservancy began the $5.5 million restoration of the monument in January and it is expected to be completed in the spring of 2015. Below is a report on the Baltimore time capsule.
