City workers uncovered a bronze box within the statue’s circular base matching descriptions of a time capsule from news articles when the statue was first put in place in 1925, David Galin, the mayor’s chief of staff, said in an email Saturday afternoon.
An April Times Union story noted the 9-foot tall bronze depiction of the politician, Revolutionary War general, enslaver and father-in-law of Alexander Hamilton may have maps, photographs, coins and other memorabilia of the city encased in a time capsule dating back to the unveiling, which was attended by thousands. Thousands more lined the parade route preceding the June event, according to the Times Union archive.
Sheehan later told the Times Union the box was damaged and could not be pulled out of the statue’s foundation — so the top and its contents were removed. About four boxes worth of items including an atlas from 1876 and a book on the history of the city were taken out, as well as a list of the contents and a letter dictating what to do with them. Sheehan said the letter and the rest of the items would be opened and reviewed with an official from the Albany Institute of History and Art before determining where they would go.
“There didn’t appear to be any signs of water damage or infiltration,” Sheehan said. “So the books were in really good condition.”
A copy of a program from the statue’s unveiling lists a number of items within a “bronze chest/incased in monument,” including a map and atlas of Albany, newspapers from the time period, currency and photographs. AÂ June 1952 Times Union article also mentions a bronze chest within the statue’s pedestal containing such items.
“The fact that they put a time capsule here is an indication that they didn’t expect it to be here forever,” Sheehan said.
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