A second time capsule has been discovered inside the pedestal of the Robert E. Lee statue recently torn down in Richmond, Virginia.
There had long been rumors of a time capsule from 1887 hidden inside the 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.
They found it! This is likely the time capsule everyone was looking for. Conservators studying it—stay tuned for next steps! (Won’t be opened today) pic.twitter.com/3lWrsPGZd2
— Governor Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) December 27, 2021
“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 box is scheduled to be opened on Tuesday afternoon.
The statue, placed in 1890, was removed in September in response to protests from the Black Lives Matter movement.