Images via Nick DeLuca

Thursday afternoon was bittersweet for the City of Boston, its residents and posterity. On Oct. 9 in Woburn, Mass., the Bostonian Society in conjunction with artist Bob Shure finally pried open the 113-year old time capsule embedded in the crown of the lion statue that can usually be found on the roof of Boston’s Old State House. But, to the chagrin of all in attendance and those tuning in online or via TV, none of its contents were extracted.

Despite the fact that the Bostonian Society’s archivist, Elizabeth Roscio, made note of how well-preserved the overlaying red leather-bound book appeared to be, after more than a century of archetypal Bay State heat, humidity and icy winters, she opted instead to remove the time capsule’s innards in a controlled environment. It would’ve been too risky, she conveyed, to shimmy the book out right then and there.

On full display, though, was the book which appeared to be stuffed rather tightly among old paper. It’s thought that newspaper articles from 1901, a letter from Boston City Hall journalists to posterity, and campaign buttons from the William McKinley/Theodore Roosevelt Republican ticket are also kept within the time capsule, which artist Bob Shure estimates to weigh some 10 pounds.

Roscio also speculated that the book could actually be a family history of the man who erected the present-day statues, which are in line for new gold leaf and silver paint.

Bostonian Society president Brian LeMay explained that the time capsule was originally brought to his attention back in 2011 when a descendant of Samuel D. Rogers, who was commissioned to undertake repairs on the Old State House and accompanying statues at the turn of the century and who also deposited the capsule, wrote a letter indicating its presence.

Once Shure had the statue at Skylight Studios in Woburn, he was able to insert a fiber optic camera in a hole in the lion’s crown to confirm its existence.

“If the time capsule hasn’t been sealed completely, water-tight and air-tight, the contents may not have survived for 113-years in the baking sun and freezing air,” cautioned LeMay before Shure cracked it open. “The process of extracting documents that are old and probably brittle, will need to be carefully done in a controlled and clean environment.”

As it turned out, LeMay was accurate in his premonition.

Shure went on to blowtorch the remaining connection between the crown and lion, carefully remove the box, and place it on a table in front of the statue where he then used a drill, cable cutter and crowbar to wrest it open.

“I see a red, hardback book and its surrounded by paper, but just in touching the paper it seems a bit firm so we don’t want to force it,” said Roscio as she peered inside the capsule. “We don’t want to risk ripping it. It does look like newsprint, and it looks in remarkably good condition. The spine is to the back; it’s all packed in there pretty tight so I’m guessing it’s full of content.”

The capsule will now make its way back to the Bostonian Society where Roscio will steadily begin to examine and catalogue every item.

Heather Leet, director for development with the Bostonian Society, said plans are already in the works for a 2014 time capsule to replace the 1901 one, including copies of the items currently in the time capsule, a 2013 Boston Marathon medal and a photograph of Mayor Marty Walsh.

The Society is still soliciting ideas, though, so be sure to tweet them your suggestions using the hashtag #LionAndUnicorn.

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