A Confederate flag, books, ammo and money were among the items found inside a second box discovered in the base of the recently torn down Robert E. Lee statue base.
There had long been rumors of a time capsule from 1887 hidden inside the Richmond, Virginia statue containing Confederate items and a rare photo of Abraham Lincoln.
After the statue was removed, a time capsule was discovered — but it did not contain any of the expected artifacts. Instead, it contained damaged books, a silver coin and an envelope with some papers.
Eleven days later, on Monday evening, crews working on the pedestal found a second one.
“This appears to be the time capsule that historians believe was placed on October 27, 1887— it is made of copper and matches the size listed in the historical record. Records from the Library of Virginia suggest that 37 Richmond residents, organizations, and businesses contributed about 60 objects to the capsule, many of which are believed to be related to the Confederacy.,” Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said in a statement.
The second box was opened at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources lab on Tuesday.
WATCH LIVE: 1887 Time Capsule Opening in Richmond https://t.co/FzxCudvZZ2
— Governor Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) December 28, 2021
The items inside, including Minié balls used in musket firearms, old books and a Confederate flag, were said to be in “good” condition.
“What we’re seeing looks good — it’s in good condition,” Kate Ridgway, the state archaeological conservator with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, said of the artifacts.
“It does appear that this is the box we expected,” Ridgway said, but it did not contain the Lincoln photo that historians had hoped for.
The Hill reports, “the state is placing a new time capsule containing a COVID-19 vaccination card and a Black Lives Matter memento, among other items, where the statue once stood.”