Update: The Museum of Fine Arts told BostInno the following information about restoration and preservation:
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), is working with the State House to provide conservation consultation and services. An MFA conservator was onsite at the State House today to assist with the safe removal of the time capsule. No timeframe has been established for the initial x-ray or opening of the box.
Back in October, the Bostonians Society cracked open a 113-year-old time capsule discovered in the head of the lion statue that sits atop the Old State House. The contents gave contemporary Boston a glimpse into what life was like in 1901, when the capsule was sealed after renovations to the building. On Thursday, though, it’s being reported that there could be another Boston time capsule for us all to enjoy — this time in the cornerstone of the Massachusetts State House.
According to NECN, the cornerstone was extracted from the foundation on Thursday at around 9:30 a.m. Historians believe there’s a time capsule within it, dating back as far as 1795 when ground was first broke on the building, designed by celebrated Boston architect Charles Bulfinch.
The Boston Globe notes that famed revolutionary and Son of Liberty Samuel Adams, then-governor, presided over the ceremony that laid the cornerstone, along with Paul Revere and William Scollay who devised the “one if by land, two if by sea” Old North Church lantern signal warning of the impending British assault on Lexington and Concord.
“The capsule was last unearthed during emergency repairs to the State House in 1855 and put back in place when the cornerstone was reset,” writes the Globe. “The Division of Capital Asset Management [and Maintenance] and the Secretary of State’s office plan to oversee the removal of the cornerstone from the southeast corner of the Bulfinch Building at the General Hooker entrance.”
Crews are working on that particular area of the gold domed building because of water leakage. DCAMM told the Globe the capsule will be sent to the Museum of Fine Arts for restoration and preservation. BostInno reached out to DCAMM for more information and we’ll be sure to update this article upon receiving a response.
It’s unclear at this time what items are contained in the time capsule and how well they’ve fared over the past few millennia. The Old State House time capsule pieces were in great condition when extracted.
