Big time capsule with 1,000 coins opened in Jefferson
The capsule was reopened recently as part of the borough's 150th anniversary celebration.
The thick, stainless steel time capsule stands 5 feet tall with a bolted lid and looks like a vessel that would survive at the moon.
But in the end, water seeped past the lid gasket, destroying much of the memories of the Jefferson centennial celebration from 1966.
The capsule was reopened recently as part of the borough's 150th anniversary celebration.
According to Anne Loeffler, a borough council member, Jefferson residents jumped the gun when they buried it 50 years ago on a Friday night six feet under the square, lying it on it's side. It was supposed to be buried the morning after, about a foot below the surface.
It was even difficult to locate the large object, found several feet from its marker near the WWI gun.
The cask, which has been in storage for two years during a restoration project to restore the Civil War cannon and WWI gun, was opened last week.
About 1,000 Jefferson bicentennial commemorative coins were found inside as well as the remains of hats, ribbons, pencils, pens and a ruler.
Loeffler said she believes that originally residents had written letters and included a coin in each letter, but over time all that was left of that memory was mush the consistency of gray oatmeal and tarnished coins.
On Aug. 20, Jefferson will celebrate 150 years of history as a community and dedicate the restored artifacts on the square starting at 10 a.m.
Loeffler said that she hopes to use the vessel again to preserve memories for the next generation, but this time it is going to be kept inside the borough building.
Video from June 2015 shows when the restored WWI gun was returned to the square:
