Time Capsule reveals treasures from the past

By: 
Marney Simon
Staff writer

If anyone had forgotten about the big hair, mix tapes, and floppy disks, they’ve returned to the present, thanks to a treasure chest left behind in 1987.

The Reed-Custer School District is in the process of razing the intermediate school to make way for the new elementary school, set to open next month.

During the demolition process, crews found tucked inside the 1929 cornerstone of the building a steel box. Inside, a host of items from fall of 1987, when the time capsule was placed into the stone and sealed up.

Inside the capsule are several well preserved items, including a yearbook, a copy of The Braidwood Journal from October 1987, microfiche of older yearbooks, two floppy disks, pictures of the Class of 2000 (kindergarten students that year), a book of poems written by students, a medal from the 1987 boys state champion baseball team, a Reed Custer Junior High t-shirt, and even a mix tape.

A book made up of magazine collages, marking the trends of the day, was also put together by students and placed into the capsule.

The items will be cataloged and donated to the Braidwood Area Historical Society.

The time capsule is the second to reside in that stone.

When the building was built in 1929, a copper box holding items from the era was placed inside the cornerstone. That box was discovered in 1987, when work was done to the outside of the school.

During a special ceremony, which included nine members of the RCHS graduating classes of 1929 to 1931, each of those old items were revealed. Inside that box were papers, a list of local businesses, yearbook photos, and several copies of The Braidwood Index from 1929.

There could possible be more treasures out there. According to the 1987 article from the Braidwood Journal included in the time capsule, those on hand to see the original time capsule revealed said they believed there was more to their capsule, and suggested there may be another copper box hidden somewhere.

Whether that is accurate or not is uncertain, but demolition crews will keep an eye out for the box as the work continues at the site.