88-year-old time capsule opened in Weyburn

A time capsule tucked away during construction of the Weyburn mental hospital in the 1920s was opened Tuesday, revealing tidbits of a bygone era in rural Saskatchewan.

The time capsule was recovered from a cornerstone during demolition of the old hospital, which had been vacant and fallen into a generally dilapidated state for several years.

"It's about the size of a shoebox," said Jacquie Mallory, curator of the local Soo Line Historical Museum of Weyburn.

She said the container was made from copper and had been soldered shut. Her research showed it was put together on May 19, 1921.

Eighty-eight years to the day later, the box was cut open with a hacksaw revealing a newspaper of the day, a few coins and a program from the dedication ceremony for the building.

The contents will be put on display at the Weyburn museum.