It was on the grounds of the Indiana Dunes National Park where Todd Ravesloot said contractors found something unexpected in the foundation of the historic Good Fellow Lodge.
“The webs of the columns were mortared in and that time capsule was tucked right in here,” Ravesloot said. “As the guys were getting the stones dismantled and chipping the mortar out, it came right out of here.”
Ravesloot was in disbelief as they uncovered a time capsule from 1941.
“We had no idea that this even existed, so we were just completely flabbergasted and excited that this was found,” he said.
The box contained several items from more than 80 years ago, including a silk 48-star American flag, a property deed and a speech card, as well as newspaper clippings and articles.
“Everything was wrapped in this 1940s-era building paper. They tried to keep it water-proof inside of the copper box here,” he said.
They also found a memo from the Illinois Steel Company Welfare Association of Gary, Indiana, providing a clue as to who put it there and why.
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“Basically, we determined there was a final stone-laying ceremony for this foundation and this time capsule was sealed in there, dedicating the camp to future generations,” he said.
Ravesloot told NBC Chicago the site was built by U.S. Steel and that an executive named Earl E. Moore laid in place the last stone of the foundation.
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“This just adds to the story, now we have the tangible things we didn’t even know we had to help tell the story of this camp and why it’s important,” Ravesloot said.
U.S. Steel opened the site in 1941, providing a place for their employees' children to attend summer camp. The site closed in 1975 and has been sitting empty since restoration began this spring.
With so much history, Ravesloot is working to preserve the items inside the time capsule for future generations.
“We’ll do the proper conservation we need to do on them and determine a place we can display some or maybe all the items so the public can appreciate them,” he said.
As for the building, construction should wrap up next fall. Officials at the national park are still trying to figure out how they want to use the space, but said the end goal is to reopen for public access.
