Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Donning gloves and safety gear, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert pried open a 102-year-old time capsule in front of a gallery of several dozen, including some of Utah’s own centenarians.
The capsule included newspapers from across Utah dated April 4, 1914, several coins — including an 1896 silver dollar, a 2-cent stamp, two books and photos from the event in which the time capsule was placed in the building. Business cards were also placed in the box from those who worked on the project.
“The coins, a book by Andrew Jenson — it was all documented,” said Allyson Gamble, executive director of the Capitol Preservation Board. “The only surprise I’d say are business cards.”
“I think we’ve seen significant advancement that has taken place over 100 years,” Herbert added. “You look at the newspapers and the old-fashioned way of doing things, which now with social media, the media has changed dramatically in 100 years. Even our money, our coin, how we buy and spend.”
The capsule opening was the beginning of week-long events celebrating the 100 years since the Capitol was completed. There was a big band playing on the steps inside the building and one visitor even dressed up as Gov. William Spry, who served as Utah’s governor during the time that the Capitol was constructed.
While Utah celebrated the 100-year history of the Capitol Monday, more than 20,000 students will tour it within the week as those who will carry the torch for the next 100 years, Herbert said.
“They’re going to learn about the history of Utah, they’re going to learn about this building, the architect, the symbolism — what it stands for, what it means — this temple of democracy as they referred to it in a book back in 1970,” Herbert said. “They’re going to learn civic responsibility, along with the history lessons that come with it, and say what are you going to do on your watch for the next 100 years?”
The contents of the capsule will be placed on display throughout the week for the public to see, Gamble said.
The capsule opened Monday was inserted into the Capitol when the cornerstone was ceremoniously placed on April 4, 1914. An article from the Deseret Evening News on that day, in which a copy was among the newspapers placed inside the capsule, covered what that ceremony was like. Gov. William Spry, spoke at an event, as did Joseph F. Smith, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the time, and Rev. Elmer I. Goshen, a pastor of the First Congressional Church, and Salt Lake City Mayor Samuel C. Park.
Before the cornerstone was placed, the capsule was added to the building.
“The corner stone, so-called, will be a large round stone which will be laid at the base of the column on the west side of the main entrance,” according to the 1914 Deseret News article. “Under in which will be placed a copper box containing the records of the capitol building and other documents.
“Photographs of the audience together with pictures of the capitol commission and the capitol as it appears at the present time will be made and prints finished in time to be placed in the copper box together with the other documents.”
The capsule was retrieved last week as Utah celebrates its centennial of the building’s completion in 1916. However, extracting the capsule wasn’t easy.
John Lambert, a historic mason, helped in locating the capsule and the two-day process of removing the box that was placed about 3 feet into the building. “It was no small feat,” Lambert said of the removal process.
Herbert then cut open the box because of its condition. “They didn’t envision enough 100 years ago to put a lid on this box,” Herbert joked, prior to opening the capsule.
Herbert said he hopes to add a time capsule back into the building for the next 100 years.
“I think it’s something that we ought to do, that we need to do,” Herbert said. “I don’t know if we’ll put any of the old stuff back in, but we ought to have the old stuff on display to help us remember what they thought 100 years ago and then we’ll put in our own information, our own artifacts for the next 100 years … and maybe we can leave them a message of good luck and thank you for taking our legacy and building upon it.”
Gamble said that meetings for a new capsule haven’t begun yet, but multiple agencies will assist in figuring what should be placed in that. However, some early ideas include a compact disc or even a phone.
“It’ll be thrilling to see what the planning committee and people interest have as ideas for a new time capsule,” she said.
Herbert added there is a “deep debt of gratitude” for the Capitol building, which some were skeptical of after its completion 100 years ago. While discussing the building, Herbert mentioned what Spry thought of the building and why he believed it still holds true.
“When asked about why we were building such a beautiful work of art and edifice of this size, (Spry) reminded the people of the time that we’re not building for today and what we are, we’re building for tomorrow and what we can become,” Herbert said. “The imagery we have here in this Capitol building is what makes us a great state because it represents the people of Utah.”
