New Time Capsule to be Placed in Boston's Old State House Lion Statue

The 300-year-old historic Old State House in Boston is gaining back its newly restored lion and unicorn statues with a new piece of history nestled inside on Nov. 23.

The 300-year-old historic Old State House in Boston is gaining back its newly restored lion and unicorn statues with a new piece of history nestled inside on Nov. 23.

Bostonians had the opportunity to step back in time when a time capsule from 1901 was discovered hidden within the lion statue's head in Sept. The lion and unicorn were taken down for restoration after the time capsule was found.

A new time capsule has been put together by The Bostonian Society who have been stewards of the building since 1881. They hope the new time capsule will be opened in 100 years.

Bostonians can take part in history on Sunday when the lion and unicorn statues are lifted back up onto to the Old Historic State House at 10 a.m. The new copper box will be placed inside the gilded scroll rather than the head of the lion statue for ease of access in the future.

Bostonian Society president, Brian LeMay, suggests attendees wear shades, “because the shiny new gold and silver coats on the statues will be truly dazzling.”

A variety of items were chosen by the public to be presented to Bostonians 100 years in the future:

  • 2013 Boston Marathon medal and biography of donor Gregory Soutiea*.
  • Letters from Boston journalists, including Kiera Blessing of the Boston Globe; Steve Annear of Boston Magazine; Brian Burns of Boston.com.
  • Photograph of current Boston Mayor, Martin Walsh.
  • Photograph of former Boston Mayor, Thomas Menino.
  • Tickets from April 20, 2012 Fenway Park Centennial Boston Red Sox game, donated by Peter Loring.
  • David Ortiz limited-edition bobblehead, donated by the Boston Red Sox.
  • Apple iPhone 5, donated by Patrick LeTourneau.
  • Boston Globe newspaper, Oct. 10, 2014, with story about discovery of 1901 time capsule.
  • Letter from British Consul Suzie Kitchens, on current United States/Great Britain relations.
  • Photograph of Governor Deval Patrick with Prime Minister of England David Cameron, at Boston Marathon Bombing Memorial, 2013.
  • Winning student essays from the 2013 Boston Duck Tour Essay contest.
  • Foreign Relations of the United States 1977-1980, Volume III, (bound in red, latest in a series represented by the 1896 volume found in the 1901 time capsule), with a letter from Davita Vance-Cooks, Public Printer of the United States, Government Printing Office.*
  • Letter from Brian LeMay, Bostonian Society President and Executive Director.
  • Facsimile of a 1901 letter from George Litchfield, Business Manager of the Boston Traveler. This letter was included in the earlier time capsule that the Bostonian Society opened in Oct. 2014.
  • Facsimile of a photograph of the team who worked on the 1901 Old State House restoration project. This photograph was included in the 1901 time capsule that the Bostonian Society recovered in 2014.
  • Photograph of the current restoration work teams – Commodore Builders and Skylight Studios.
  • Photograph of the current Old State Restoration Project team.
  • Old State House Lion & Unicorn: An Unfolding Story, an essay written by architect Donald Tellalian.
  • Box from Mike’s Pastry (with no canolis, unfortunately).
  • Letters from children participating in Greenovate Boston’s Community Summit 2014, and a Greenovate Boston button.
  • “Idahoan’s research uncovers time capsule,” facsimile of an article from Idaho Statesman, Oct. 28, 2014.
  • Two 18th-century hand-wrought nails removed from the Old State House tower in 2008.
  • Two 19th-century cut nails removed from the tower in 2008
  • Fragment of a 1713 brick removed from Old State House during the
    2014 west façade restoration project.
  • Menu from Legal Sea Foods restaurant, 2014.
  • Photographs of Boston’s central artery 2003, and Rose Kennedy Greenway, 2013 (before and after the Big Dig). 
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