Replaces Opened One : A New Time Capsule Put Into Courthouse

A month after a rusty time capsule was pulled from the cornerstone of the old Orange County Courthouse, a new, improved version was tucked back in Tuesday, this one containing updated items encased in a high-tech container.

The new capsule contains photographs and documents of the recent courthouse restoration, newspaper clippings about the building, programs from special events held there, current county statistics and maps, a booklet about the courthouse by historian Jim Sleeper and autographs by members of the county Board of Supervisors and the Historical Commission. Also included are two souvenirs from the courthouse restoration, a plaster rosette and a chunk of decorative latticework from a skylight.

1788 Spanish Coin

In addition, one item that was retrieved from the old time capsule--a 1788 Spanish coin originally found in the rubble of Mission San Juan Capistrano after an 1812 earthquake--was returned to the cornerstone in the new capsule.

The time capsule was inserted into the building at the start of the Orange County Historical Commission’s meeting Tuesday.

The old capsule--little more than a metal tackle box--was pried out of a niche in the cornerstone amid much hoopla Nov. 10. The capsule had been put in the building on July 4, 1900, when the courthouse was under construction, and it was removed in conjunction with the current celebration of the county’s centennial.

In addition to the Spanish coin, the old-time capsule included a listing of the county’s assessed valuation, a blank marriage license, two lists of voters, a curriculum from the county’s schools and several newspapers. The damp items were practically falling out of the original time capsule, which had rusted through in several places.

The new time capsule cost $1,000 and is made of 1/4-inch-thick steel, which is guaranteed to protect the contents against damage from moisture or acid, according to Historical Commission aide Susanna Branch. Papers were de-acidified before they were put inside, she said.

All the Precautions

In addition, the time capsule manufacturers provided a chemical powder, hexamethylenetetramine, that was put in the container with the items. The capsule, which has a thick rubber gasket, was then sealed with screws, and the air was vacuumed out and replaced with dry argon gas that reacts with the chemical powder to provide an acid-free atmosphere, Branch said.

Although the new time capsule was custom-designed to fit in the rectangular hole carved into the cornerstone in 1900, the box was slightly too big because of the screws and the nipple for the gas, Branch said. Consequently, masons enlarged the cornerstone hole last week. (A chunk of the granite was stuck inside the time capsule, she added.)