University Library working to preserve items found in century old time capsule

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — The contents of a 116-year-old time capsule found in a cornerstone during the demolition of Illini Hall are being carefully preserved at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

"People were wondering what in 1907 would people have put in a time capsule," said University YMCA Executive Director, Jim Hinterlong. "What would they have wanted to send forward into the future?"

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116-year-old time capsule found during Illini Hall demolition

The contents were revealed during the University YMCA's 150th anniversary ceremony back in September. They're now being held at the University Library for preservation of the items. A release from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences said that some of the contents were water damaged.

"It was copies of our annual report and our constitution from around the turn of the century, and for the university, it was a copy of the bulletin from 1907 which describes everything happening at the university at that point in time. Then there were two copies of newspapers in there; a copy of the Champaign Daily Gazette from that week in June in 1907, and a copy of The Illini which has now become The Daily Illini," said Hinterlong.

The discovery even prompted the University YMCA to create their own time capsule.

"Our goal is to actually set that time capsule here on our property in the old cornerstone from Illini Hall. Open the time capsule in 50 years — which would be 2073 — which would be our 200th anniversary," said Hinterlong.