MACON, Ga. — Two time capsules found during the relocation of Macon's Confederate monuments were opened during a ceremony on Friday.
Workers moved the statue of the Confederate private, which paid tribute to confederate soldiers of Macon, from downtown Macon to a park outside Rose Hill cemetery in June.
In a Facebook post, The Historic Macon Foundation revealed what was inside the two boxes and shared some local history along with the photos.
One capsule is from 1879, while the other comes from a few years down the road, in 1956.
The Foundation says the one from 1879 was actually preserved better than the one from 1956, as moisture seeped into that one over time and damaged several items.
The Foundation listed several of the items they recovered, including:
- A letter from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to members of the Ladies Memorial Association (which later became the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy) dated April 26, 1878
- A list of 327 Confederate soldiers from Macon buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, and 253 soldiers buried in the old City Cemetery (and later moved to Rose Hill)
- A ballad on General Robert E. Lee written by Dr. W.F. Sandford
- Confederate coins
- Copies of old newspapers (including the Macon Telegraph)
- City directories
- Confederate bonds
- Bulletins and catalogs from Wesleyan College and Mercer University
Several other things were also found in the copper boxes; all a testament to the history of Macon and its roots.
Macon spokesperson Chris Floore says the items will remain in the custody of the Cannon Ball House Museum. It's unclear whether some of them will be publicly displayed.
Oby Brown with Historic Macon says some of the items did receive moisture damage so right now they are exploring getting a conservator to try to restore those items.
Director of the Cannonball House Cheryl Aultman says they will be putting the collection on display as quickly as possible. The House will be closed for a couple of weeks this month for remodeling and will be focused on putting the exhibits into place while they are closed.
Photos of the time capsules and their contents
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