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Digging up a time capsule is often seen as a thrilling experience, offering a glimpse into carefully chosen relics from the past. However, these buried containers frequently fall short of expectations, often revealing little more than mundane artifacts.
"The vast majority of time capsules will remain utterly uninteresting to those who uncover them," explains Matt Novak, the creator of Gizmodo's Paleofuture blog. A self-described enthusiast of time capsules, Novak has witnessed enough letdowns to temper his enthusiasm. "Time capsules are both hopeful and self-centered," he shares with Mytour. "Hopeful because they assume future generations will not only discover them but also find their contents meaningful."
The concept of time capsules, as we recognize them today, is a fairly modern phenomenon that gained prominence in 1939 with the interment of the Westinghouse Time Capsule during the World's Fair. This widely publicized capsule, set to be opened in the year 6939, includes everyday objects and detailed records of human history on microfilm, complete with instructions for constructing a microfilm reader. It was a bold endeavor, with engineers crafting the capsule to withstand the test of time. In contrast, most time capsules lack the durability needed for long-term burial.
"Burying items is arguably the least effective method for preserving them for future generations," Novak remarks, "yet we persist in doing so." Groundwater often ruins the contents, leaving most time capsules as little more than a soggy mess of debris.
Nevertheless, Novak remains optimistic about the "rare one percent—those exceptional time capsules that not only contain intriguing items but also endure the passage of time without deteriorating." The following 10 time capsules, however, undeniably belong to the less fortunate 99 percent.
1. Derry, New Hampshire's Disappointing Discovery
Earlier this week, residents of Derry, New Hampshire assembled at their local library, anticipating a significant historical event: the unveiling of a 1969 time capsule believed to contain memorabilia from Alan Shepard, the renowned astronaut and Derry native. To their dismay, they discovered... nothing at all.
"We were quite shocked to find it completely empty," library director Cara Potter told reporters. Although no official records detail the safe's contents, it is known that the capsule had been relocated multiple times over the years. The combination was even written on the back. "I can’t fathom why anyone would tamper with the capsule," said Reed Clark, a 90-year-old resident, told the New Hampshire Union Leader. Local historian Paul Lindemann speculates, "There’s a strong possibility that valuable items, including something belonging to Shepard, were once inside."
2. Tucson Brings the Past to Light
In 1961, Tucson, Arizona's Campbell Plaza shopping center—the nation's first air-conditioned strip mall—marked its grand opening with a special gesture. Developers buried a time capsule beneath the mall, setting a 25-year waiting period before it could be opened, ensuring the event would be remembered for decades.
By 1986, the time had come to unearth the capsule, and another celebration was organized. Three TV crews documented the excavation, led by workers and a former Tucson mayor. Archaeologist William L. Rathje, present at the event, later described the contents as "a faded local newspaper (in poorer condition than many unearthed from landfills) and a handful of business cards."
3. Bay City Comes to Terms with Its Soggy Legacy
In 1965, employees at Dafoe Shipbuilding Co. in Bay City, Michigan buried the “John F. Kennedy Peace Capsule,” intended to remain sealed for a century. However, in 2015, eager city council members decided to dig it up 50 years ahead of schedule.
Upon opening the massive capsule, crews discovered it was completely waterlogged: Despite the shipbuilders' efforts, water had seeped in over the years. Many of the paper items, unable to withstand the decades-long immersion, were ruined.
Among the non-paper artifacts that could be identified, MLive.com listed “a vintage pair of women's lace-up boots, oversized ice tongs for handling ice blocks, a slide rule with an attached pencil sharpener, a pestle and wooden bowl, a centennial ribbon, a coffee grinder, an early filament light bulb, a non-electric iron, numerous Bay City Centennial plates, a 1965 Alden's Summer Catalogue, documents from Kawkawlin Community Church, and pamphlets from the labor council.”
4. Westport Elementary's Overly Effective Time Capsule
In 1947, the superintendent of Westport Elementary School in Missouri buried a time capsule meant to be opened after 50 years. While he left a note specifying the time frame, he omitted any details about its location. Decades later, when it was time to retrieve it, no one had a clue where to dig. ''We're referring to it as a historical enigma,'' said a teacher assigned to locate it. With the school's original blueprints missing, her search was left without a starting point.
5. Long Island's Aromatic Piece of History
In 2015, to mark its 350th anniversary, the town of Smithtown on Long Island, New York, opened a time capsule buried in front of town hall in 1965. A festive unveiling ceremony drew over 175 attendees, who watched town officials, dressed in colonial attire, dramatically uncover its contents.
As reported by Newsday, the capsule contained "a proclamation from the beard-growing group Brothers of the Brush, documents and memorabilia from the town's 300th anniversary celebrations, a phone directory, a copy of The Smithtown News, pennies from the 1950s and '60s, a black men's hat, and a white bonnet."
Both residents and officials were underwhelmed. "I expected more creativity, with artifacts from that era included in the capsule," remarked Patrick Vecchio, Smithtown's supervisor at the time.
Kiernan Lannon, the executive director of the town's Historical Society, shared with Newsday, "The most memorable aspect of the time capsule was its odor. It was dreadful. I've encountered historical smells before, but nothing like this. It was the most overpowering musty scent I've ever experienced."
6. A Time Capsule More Disappointing Than a Day in Class
In 2014, students from the New York Mills Union Free School District gathered in an assembly hall to witness the opening of a 57-year-old time capsule. Buried beneath the school’s cornerstone, the capsule contained "a 1957 penny, class rosters, a teacher handbook, a budget pamphlet, and some letterhead." A video of the event captured audible boos from students who had hoped for something far more exciting than stationery.
7. Norway's Misplaced Relic
The people of Otta, Norway had long anticipated the opening of a package sealed in 1912 and handed to the town's first mayor in 1920, accompanied by a note reading, "May be opened in 2012." While locals dreamed of oil futures, historians speculated it might hold artifacts from a centuries-old battle.
The unveiling took place during an elaborate ceremony complete with music and speeches. Attendees, including Princess Astrid of Norway, endured a tense 90-minute wait (on top of the 100 years since 1912) before the package was finally opened.
Kjell Voldheim of the Gudbrandsdal museum had the privilege of opening the package. Inside, he discovered... another package. Within it were assorted papers, which Voldheim examined and described to the audience. “Oye yoy yoy," he exclaimed ("nearly in frustration," as Smithsonian noted), struggling to decipher the contents. Among the underwhelming items were newspapers from 1914 and 1919, dated years after the package was supposedly sealed. While authentic, the discovery left everyone puzzled.
8. New Zealand's Disappointing Discovery
In 1995, scholars in New Zealand eagerly opened a century-old capsule believed to hold historical documents. As reported by The New York Times, "all they discovered was murky water and a single button."
9. Michigan's Capitol Catastrophe
In 1979, the Michigan State Capitol commemorated its centennial by unearthing a time capsule buried beneath its cornerstone. While the listed contents promised excitement—"1873 newspapers, a state history, a history of Free Masonry, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, a silver plate engraved with Lansing officials’ names, and various specialized papers"—none of these items were actually inside. The real contents had been destroyed over time.
"They’re in terrible condition," remarked Robert Warner, the late director of the University of Michigan's Bentley Historical Library. Water damage had turned the delicate paper documents into a soggy mess, leaving celebrants to make the best of a box filled with sludge.
10. The Mystery of Keith Urban's Time Capsule
In 2014, a plaque was discovered on the neglected grounds of Australia's Pioneer Village Country Music Hall, sparking excitement. Could something valuable be buried beneath the abandoned venue? Hidden among overgrown plants, the plaque stated:
Pioneer Village Country Music Club 10-Year Time Capsule Placed by Mayor Yvonne Chapman on July 4, 1994 To Be Reopened on July 4, 2004
As reported by Paleofuture, the capsule was opened a decade late, but fans of the music hall claimed they already knew its contents: a photo of a young Keith Urban. The musician began his career at Pioneer Village, and the photo was buried to honor the local talent.
Strangely, another capsule from 1994 was found on the music hall's abandoned grounds in 2013. Keith Urban enthusiasts eagerly opened it, hoping to find the photo, but were let down when it turned out to be empty. By process of elimination, the photo had to be in the newly discovered capsule. Unless a third capsule exists, in which case they might as well purchase a Keith Urban photo online.
This story has been revised and updated for 2019.
