New time capsule buried at Carnegie Building

This photo shows many of the over 30 items placed in the new time capsule which was buried on Wednesday at the lawn in front of the Carnegie Building, owned by Greg Hoffman and now home to White Ember Financial Planning. Included in the 16 in. metal box which serves as the new time capsule is the 8.5 in.-long original copper time capsule with its contents reinserted. The new one is to be opened in 2117.

photo courtesy of Greg Hoffman and White Ember Financial

On Wednesday morning, a dozen people, led by Carnegie Building owner, Greg Hoffman, formally buried a new time capsule to be opened in the year 2117.

“While the time capsule we opened in October was set into the cornerstone, I thought it best not to have to disturb the building to gain access for the new one,” said Hoffman. “And so the new one is being buried in the front yard with a marker placed over it.”

The original capsule was about eight inches long, four inches wide and formed from a sheet of copper which was shaped into a rectangular cylinder with copper sheet pieces soldered on both ends.

Greg Hoffman, owner of the Carnegie Building, shows off the stone marker and bronze plaque which is to be set over the site of the newly buried 100-year time capsule which was set in place Wednesday morning. Following the dedication of the current Nevada Public Library on W. Walnut St. in 1994, the building changed hands several times before Hoffman obtained it. His extensive restoration and renovation efforts added an elevator and a new rear access adjacent to the building’s parking lot, a new roof with solar panels as well many interior improvements. The building is now home to White Ember Financial Planning as well as the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce. Asked what he enjoys doing in retirement Hoffman said, “Being with my boys and riding my Harley.”

Johannes Brann

The new time capsule, specially purchased for this purpose, is a cube, 16 inches on each side and made of stainless steel. To fit this into the cornerstone would have required extensive work.

Asked about how it was decided as to what to include and exclude, it was clear Hoffman had considered many different types of things, representative of this area and the era in which we live. Items considered ranged from a Raspberry Pi — a palm-sized computer with which to learn programming — to a compact disk, thumb drive or cell phone with the battery removed.

“But then we thought that for folks 100 years from now, accessing the information might be like accessing an eight-track cassette tape for most folks today,” said Hoffman.

He told the newspaper reporter interviewing him; they decided print was the best way to go.

The first item on the list of contents of the new time capsule is the old time capsule of 1916, repacked and resealed with its original contents.

A letter from building owner Greg Hoffman along with a family photo were included. The letter greeted the building owner in 2117, whom Hoffman noted might not be born until 40-60 years from now.

Hoffman spoke about owning a building which is so well constructed and carries with it so much local history.

“Really, since it was around long before me and hopefully will be long after I’m gone, it’s really just a case of me being a trustee. It’s my job to take care of it as best I’m able and then pass it on to someone who appreciates its importance to this community and will see it is taken care of for years to come.”

One of those on hand for the opening of the original time capsule and the burial of the new one was Jodie Polk, director of the Nevada Public Library. Her presence was a two-fold reminder.

First, to date, the longest use of the Carnegie building was as home to the Nevada Public Library, from 1917 to 1994, when the Library’s current building — at 221 W. Walnut St. — was dedicated. Funds for the construction and furnishing of the library’s building came from a $17,500 grant made by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

Second, the significance of that library was evidenced on the day its cornerstone was laid. On Sept. 25, 1916, school was canceled and streets were blocked off as the procession of officials and guests from the old Masonic hall to the corner of Austin and Ash Streets was led by Camp Clark’s Third Regiment Band. Articles and editorials in the town’s several local newspapers hailed this as a “milestone,” and “a tribute to the people of Nevada and Vernon County,” who understood the value of reading and learning.

In his letter, Hoffman greeted the future owner and people of Nevada, noting the building’s importance to the community, even as he asked them to cherish and maintain it for succeeding generations.

Besides the original time capsule from 1916, a list of its contents, along with the letter and photo from Hoffman and a brochure from Hoffman Financial Resources, the new time capsule contains the following items.

The article, “Andrew Carnegie in Nevada Missouri” by Marjorie Goss; Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum guide; The Andrew Carnegie Dunfermline Hero Fund Trustees brochure [Dunfermline was Carnegie’s birthplace in Scotland]; a Carnegie Building ornament; article, “A monument to Pioneer Women” [The effort to establish and sustain a library in Nevada was accomplished by several local women’s groups still in existence, including the Elizabeth Carey Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Tourist, Progress and Research Clubs.]; article about Herb Pyle and Buckner Coffee Works [Local businessman and library board trustee, Royle Buckner was on vacation in 1912, when he met someone with the Carnegie Foundation and leaned that grants for library construction were about to cease.]; photos of former Nevada Public Library director, Dorothy Hill; current Nevada Public Library brochure; article on Mrs. Lynn H. Logan by Donna Logan [The birth of Donna by Lynn was the last at Nevada’s old Amerman Hospital and they were the first patients of Nevada City Hospital now known as Nevada Regional Medical Center which turned 80 on Wednesday]; invitation to the Carnegie Building’s 100-year celebration; a list of people in attendance at the centennial observance; Carnegie centennial bookmark; Nevada Daily Mail issue for Oct. 18, 2017; Nevada Daily Mail Oct. 6, 2017 article, “Locating the Hidden Time Capsule”; Nevada Daily Mail October 20, 2017, Carnegie centennial celebration coverage; “USA Today” newspaper; a quarter, dime, nickel and penny dated 2017; current Cottey College brochure and newsletter; W.F. Norman ornaments; W.F. Norman catalogs and brochures; People Magazine”; “Time Magazine”; “Western Horseman Magazine”; “Health” magazine”; “Shape” magazine; “Rolling Stone” magazine; “US Weekly” magazine; GEIT [governance of enterprise information technology] membership list; and the 2017 Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce Directory

The building’s owner was asked about potential problems due to moisture and oxygen in the container as well as how the container was sealed.

“The container was purchased from a company specializing in time capsules,” explained Hoffman. “Actually, it was a kit. With it were several pamphlets giving advice on what to include and what not to, as well as how to preserve and pack the items.”

Accordingly, some items were laminated while others were placed in inert protective sleeves.

He said the kit also included packages of silica gel to act as a desiccant — to absorb moisture in the air — and packages of powdered iron to absorb oxygen within the sealed container. Oxygen is neutralized when it bonds with iron forming iron oxide, commonly known as rust. Having captured moisture and oxygen, the materials remain stable.

The lid was sealed with silicone and the seal was covered with beeswax. The container was buried about four feet in the ground, covered with dirt and topped with the stone and bronze marker ready for opening in 2117.