Unhorsed General Lee gives up what may be 1887 time capsule
CREWS working to remove the pedestal where a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee stood believe they have found a time capsule from 1887 containing Civil War memorabilia and a rumoured photograph of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin.
The massive bronze equestrian statue of Lee, erected in 1890 in Richmond, Virginia, was taken down in September, more than a year after Ralph Northam, the state governor, ordered its removal after protests over racism and police brutality.
The day after the statue was removed, work crews spent more than 12 hours searching for the time capsule in the 40ft (12m) pedestal, but were unable to locate it.
On Friday, Mr Northam announced that crews found the top of a square box embedded in a 2,000lbs (900kgs) granite block in the main section of the pedestal. Workers who searched for it in September believed it was tucked inside or under a cornerstone of the pedestal. “It looks like it is (the time capsule),” said Clark Mercer, Mr Northam’s
chief of staff. “We’re hoping it hasn’t been damaged by water over the past 100-plus years.”
Workers lowered a large piece of granite containing the box to the ground and plan to bring it to the state Department of Historic Resources to be opened in the coming days. Mr Mercer said the box was still encased in granite and needs to be dislodged and X-rayed before officials can be certain it is the time capsule.
A newspaper article from 1887 suggests the capsule contains Civil War memorabilia and a “picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin,” although historians believe it is doubtful the picture is an actual photograph, which would be rare and valuable.
Records from the Library of Virginia suggest that 37 Richmond residents, organisations and businesses contributed about 60 objects to the capsule, many of which are believed to be related to the Confederacy.
After last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, the Lee statue became a focal point of the racial justice movement in Richmond. Since then, the pedestal has been covered in graffiti. Some activists wanted to see it remain in place as a work of protest art.