Liberty Intercept Blog

Boston Time Capsule Contents Exhibit - MFA

Posted by Elaine Spitz on Apr 11, 2015 10:29:00 AM

We continue our coverage of the Boston Time Capsule with updates from our recent visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, exhibit showing what was discovered inside the second Capsule recovered. The interest in this Time Capsule has been highly documented by many world news organizations because two well-known American patriots, Paul Revere and Sam Adams, were involved. Photos we were allowed to take are shown below. 

“On July 4, 1795, 20 years after declaring the Independence and only seven years after the ratification of the United States Constitution, Massachusetts officials laid the cornerstone for a grand new State House on top of Boston’s Beacon Hill.  Great pomp and ceremony surrounded the event, including a procession from the Old South Meeting House in which the stone was drawn by fifteen white horses (representing the number of states in the Union in 1795.  Samuel Adams, then Governor of Massachusetts, presided over the ceremony, along with local Masonic leaders, notably patriot Paul Revere and Colonel William Scollay. These men laid a small group of objects - then called “deposits” or “relics” - on the soil under the cornerstone.” - MFA display

In the bronze box were found newspapers, a Paul Revere made silver plate (photo above, credit Reuters), and coins. “Each of the coins in the time capsule’s original deposit represents an important milestone in the history of Massachusetts and the formation of the United States.” - MFA display. Four of the coins had been engraved by Paul Revere’s apprentice, Joseph Callender, and were minted in Massachusetts. During the Confederation Era, prior to the ratification of the Constitution in 1789, each State had the right to create its own currency. This Time Capsule and its contents are on view in the Art of the America’s wing at Boston’s MFA through April 22, 2015 and will be returned to the cornerstone later this year.

Liberty Packaging’s interest in the Boston Time Capsules is threefold:

1. Liberty Packaging is headquartered just south of Boston.

2. One of the packaging brands we represent, Corrosion Intercept©, was used in the recovery of the 1795 Time Capsule.  Click on this link and to see the copper colored plastic Corrosion Intercept behind the relics as they are recovered.

3. Similar to the protection provided the contents by the first Capsule recovered our Intercept Technology™ flexible barrier packaging will protect your manufactured products and valuables for long periods of time and in the harshest environments.

Intercept Technology Packaging materials are optimal, versatile, and safe.

Are you involved in the manufacture, storage, shipment of parts, machinery, electronics, other materials? Click here to see all the Intercept Technology packaging brands and how they may be a help to your business.

Art of the Americas Exhibit at the Boston MFA Boston 1795 time capsule box Boston 1795 time capsule display case
<Boston 1795 time capsule who buried it Boston 1795 time capsule coins Boston 1795 time capsule newspapers
Boston 1795 time capsule silver plaque Boston 1795 time capsule silver plaque reverse side Boston 1795 time capsule U.S. half dollar
Boston 1795 time capsule Pine Tree Shilling Boston 1795 time capsule Massachusetts Cent Boston 1795 time capsule Massachusetts 1/2 Cent

Contact Liberty Packaging for your corrosion and ESD packaging needs.

Topics: boston, corrosion intercept, MFA, corrosion prevention, time capsule, archival

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