While city workers were removing the Confederate monument on Hillsborough Street in downtown Raleigh, they discovered a time capsule that dates back to the year 1894.

In a news clipping from May 22, 1894, the NC State Archives discovered what they believe is to be the contents of the time capsule. The list included the following items:

○ A button from the coat of a Hillsboro Academy cadet killed near the end of the Civil War in Goldsboro.

○ A button cut from the dress coat of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

○ A rosebud from the coat of Gen. Lee.

○ The roster of Gen. Lawrence O’Bryan Branch, Gen. John Brown Gordon, Gen. A.P. Hill + Gen. Bryan Grimes.

○ Multiple texts from speeches delivered during the time period.

○ Address by Senator Vance, on Social Condition of the South during the war.

○ An account of the Charge at Gettysburg.

○ Copy of the Fayetteville Observer from 1892.

○ Confederate Testament + hymn book.

○ Confederate bills, state bills, a colonial bill.

○ Map of Wake County.

○ NC Almanac for 1894.

○ Copy of the Wilmington Star. The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources took possession of the time capsule and it will be opened later this week in a lab environment to uncover what is actually in the time capsule and report their findings as soon as the items can be verified.

We will keep you up to date with this story as more information is uncovered, so follow along on our social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) for breaking news updates and information.