A century-old time capsule's contents are unveiled in Kansas City

Artifacts from a 100-year-old time capsule, including metal etchings of U.S. presidents, local newspaper printing plates and a container of seeds, were revealed to the public by the National World War I Museum and Memorial, Wednesday, Oct. 16. 2024. in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Ingram)

Time capsules are fickle, and the opening of one entombed a century ago inside one of the nation's preeminent World War I memorials was no exception.

The first challenge was just getting to the time capsule, which was entombed in a tower that rises 217 feet (66 metres) into the Kansas City skyline and is topped by a giant flame.

Crews had to drill through 18 inches (45 centimetres) of concrete and limestone, said Christopher Warren, the chief curator of the National World War I Museum and Memorial, during an unveiling Wednesday.

“It was not easy. There was no door to open and pull the time capsule out,” he said.

Then there was another issue: the time capsule included 1920s-era film that contained nitrate. As it deteriorates over time, it can be highly flammable, so the police department bomb squad was on hand when the time capsule was first opened.

“Nothing caught on fire, which was great for preservation. Maybe not as interesting as it would have been if things would have exploded,” Warren said.

Before an audience filled with school children, he showed off the contents — most carefully evaluated in advance. One of the highlights was a letter from President Calvin Coolidge, who praised the spirit of the community. The Egyptian Revival-style monument was erected in a burst of postwar patriotism after US$2.5 million was raised in less than two weeks in 1919, an amount that would be equal to about US$45 million today.

So noteworthy was the achievement that Allied commanders from Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, France and the U.S. gathered in 1921 to dedicate the site where the time capsule was entombed three years later. The monument is across the street from the Kansas City train station that more than half of U.S. troops passed through before being shipped overseas. Today a museum is located underneath.

Officials saved a few surprises for the public unveiling, including a first reading of a cursive message purported to be from Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of American forces in World War I.

But it didn't go quite as planned. The note explained that the time capsule committee members reached out to Pershing but received no reply. They made do by including some remarks Pershing made during the 1921 dedication festivities.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you know what this is? This is a 100-year-old out-of-office memo,” Warren said. “General Pershing is on vacation but will respond to your email when he returns to the office. That’s OK. He's still an American hero."

Museum leaders immediately began making plans to create another time capsule.