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SALT LAKE CITY — More than 100 years after being placed inside a column of the Utah Capitol, a time capsule was removed late Tuesday night still intact.
And on Monday, the long wait to examine its contents will be over, said Allyson Gamble, executive director of the Capitol Preservation Board.
Utah's centenarians will be the first to see the reveal in the Capitol's Gold Room during a party hosted by Gov. Gary Herbert.
A plaque at the bottom of the grand staircase "didn't exactly leave us a sleuthing map to find the cornerstone," Gamble said, but an X-ray performed of its southwestern-most column earlier this month confirmed the box was inside the column's pedestal.
The capsule — a copper box roughly 1 foot wide, 1 foot tall and 1 ½ feet long — was detached from the structure around 11:20 p.m. Tuesday and unveiled publicly for the first time Wednesday afternoon.
Gamble said various historical records identify the capsule's contents as newspapers, coins, a photo of the Capitol Commission, some of the commission's paperwork and at least one edition of the Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia authored by assistant LDS Church historian Andrew Jenson.
It's possible items that were not documented are also inside the capsule, Gamble added. She said she's excited to see whether any other souvenirs from the time period were also included.
"It is tradition that many buildings have cornerstones that speak to the day and age of the building and society, and (that) culturally … account for history," Gamble said.
The capsule was embedded in the building on April 4, 1914. The Capitol Preservation Board consulted a structural engineer, historic mason and a drilling company to make sure the column would be structurally sound while recovering the capsule, Gamble said.
Crews located the exact location of the box inside the column pedestal on their first try, she said.
According to Gambling, those involved were "surprised the box was intact." The copper material was ideal for its stability, she said.
Next week, Utahns are invited to festivities at the Capitol in honor of the 100th anniversary of its completion. It's fitting that the contents of the box will seen for the first time in the same week, Gambling said.
"It should be a great week," she said. "This is the people's house. We would love for the people to come and enjoy and share with us this incredible building."
Beginning Monday, guides from the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts will be at the Capitol to showcase historical artifacts throughout the building. Children and cultural groups will perform music through Oct. 6 in the rotunda.
On Oct. 8, hands-on crafts will be held in the Hall of Governors from 1 p.m to 4 p.m., and a formal program commemorating the building's completion is scheduled for 6 p.m.
A dance exhibition will follow the program. Expected attire is period clothing or business formal dress.
