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Published: 1/13/2012 - Updated: 4 months ago

SENECA COUNTY

Courthouse time capsule opened during demolition

Coins, pamphlets, books found within copper box

BY JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER

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TIFFIN -- When Seneca County laid the cornerstone for its grand new courthouse on June 24, 1884, churches, schools, and fraternal organizations all made sure they would be part of the building's legacy.

They contributed membership lists and historical sketches to be placed inside a specially made copper box that was embedded in the cornerstone.

On Thursday morning, the wrecking crew hired to demolish the courthouse pulled loose the cornerstone and exposed the copper-clad time capsule for the first time.

A small group was on hand to watch as the contents were carefully removed.

"Have you seen the Titanic stuff they brought up?" Mark Steinmetz, a trustee with the Seneca County Historical Society, asked as an 1884 silver dollar, an 1861 half-dollar, and a 2-cent piece from 1864 were unwrapped.

"This is like the Titanic stuff."

The Seneca County commissioners had planned to open the time capsule at a future date when the public could attend, but that plan was scrapped after the excavator pulling the cornerstone from the front of the building dropped it, causing the lid of the copper box to come off.

"I guess the decision was made for us," said Jeff Wagner, the only one of the three commissioners to watch B&B Wrecking and Excavating remove the cornerstone.

COVERAGE: Seneca County courthouse demolition

PHOTO GALLERY: Courthouse demolition and time capsule

The partially crushed copper box was promptly taken to the county maintenance garage a block away where Jim Barth, maintenance supervisor, placed it on the tailgate of a pickup truck and pried it open with a pair of adjustable pliers.

A business card for George Ernest, "tin copper and sheet iron ware" maker, was the first item to be removed.

The Tiffin man had made the copper box, which apparently was nearly waterproof.

The card as well as the newspapers, documents, and coins inside were in remarkably good condition -- to the delight of those watching.

"It looks to me like it would've lasted another 100 years," said John Huss, a local historian who was present when the contents were revealed.

There was a small bundle of local newspapers from the day, packets of letters from a whole host of local churches and organizations, notices from utility companies, cards from local banks, a 1884 Masonic calendar, a city of Tiffin directory, a premium list from the 31st annual county fair, an 1884 family almanac, and a Grand Army of the Republic ribbon and medal.

The only item that seemed damaged was a copy of Lang's History of Seneca County -- a book, Mr. Huss said, that is commonly found on local bookshelves even today.

Mr. Wagner said he'd never seen a list of what was supposed to be in the time capsule and "didn't know what to expect."

"I guess that medal is probably the most interesting thing to me -- that G.A.R. medal -- and the coins," he said.

"It's amazing to look at and realize the history behind all that."

Mr. Steinmetz said he was looking forward to poring over the contents back at the Seneca County Museum where the mangled copper box, the 128-year-old tin foil that covered many of the items, and the contents themselves are to be stored.

"I think the thing that impressed me the most was all the individual letters from all the churches, all the institutions," Mr. Steinmetz said. "Everyone seemed to want to get their organizations in, their names in, to be there for as long as the box was contained."

The historical society, which took over operation of the local history museum Jan. 1, plans to dedicate a portion of its carriage house to memorabilia from the courthouse with a permanent display of the items from the time capsule, he said. The massive cornerstone also will be taken to the museum.

"This is all we have left," Mr. Steinmetz said, referring to the courthouse, which is expected to be nothing but a vacant lot by the end of the month.

"It's an honor to be here on a day when this happens," Mr. Steinmetz added.

"We would've loved to have been able to have it secure and in one piece and have a grand opening in front of everybody at some kind of ceremony, but we take what we can get."

While some critics of the courthouse demolition said they believed the time capsule should have been opened in more dignified circumstances, Jackie Fletcher, president of the Tiffin Historic Trust, said her organization didn't even know the cornerstone was to be removed Thursday.

"There's been no invitation to participate in any of this, so we had no knowledge this was going to take place," she said when contacted afterward.

"To me, [county commissioners] would be wise to include a lot of community people in those things because there's a lot of healing to do," she said.

Mr. Huss, who had researched the contents of the cornerstone through newspaper accounts, was excited to see the items in person but disappointed that the cursory review of the contents did not reveal a photograph of the county courthouse that preceded the 1884 structure -- something he had read was included.

"There's some rare papers in there that none of us have ever seen," he said. "There are no duplicates that have survived."

Contact Jennifer Feehan at: jfeehan@theblade.com or 419-724-6129.

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