Surviving Artifacts
What was found in the Jenkins “Time Capsule”?
The objects discovered in the makeshift time capsule contain many mysteries. We still don’t know who created this small window into history, but whoever buried it has helped many generations of historians to further uncover the forgotten past. What might initially seem like a random assortment of memorabilia has in fact turned out to be a treasure trove of information. Sadly, few of the objects listed in the initial discovery have been preserved well enough to be displayed. The initial damage wrought by rust and humidity makes them susceptible to the lack of climate control in our temporary gallery.
scroll down to learn about each object
(partially - damaged)
Official Exposition Poster
Among the most illuminating objects found in the capsule was a damaged version of the official poster from the original Exposition. Featuring an energetic depiction of Columbia’s most enduring symbol, Alma Mater herself, this work is a fine example of early Art Deco or Poster Style art. However, through its inclusion of the previously forgotten event motto, “Where Wild Ideas Take Wing”, this poorly preserved piece of paper has also given us hints as to the initial vision of the Exposition that the organizers must have planned: a family friendly event focused on Nature and Natural Science.
Events Programme
This small multi-page leaflet has given researchers an understanding of the scope of the Exposition. While many of the pages became fused together by water damage and mildew, historians have been able to use this program book to discover that there was a daily Invocation Ceremony on the steps of Low Library, as well as musical acts and dancing on the nights when the Exposition remained open late. Other events, such as those taking place on the Athletic Field, were not listed in this document, casting doubt on the veracity of the scholarship surrounding sporting events during the 1921 Exposition.
Butterfly Specimen
Squashed within the many papers stuffed into the makeshift time capsule was a small insect. At first glance, researchers thought that the insect might have been a garden variety pest, the type often found in the pipes and plumbing under the Butler Library facilities. However, upon closer inspection, the insect was in fact revealed to be the poorly preserved remains of a butterfly. It was identified as a Phyciodes tharos, commonly called a “Pearl Crescent.” The discovery of this butterfly opened up an entirely new line of inquiry into the Exposition and its incredible innovations. While many aspects of the 1921 Exposition are similar to, if not direct copies of, other expositions of the time, the use of butterflies seems to have been entirely unique to The Columbia Exposition.
Newspaper Clipping
A small clipping of an article from the New York Amsterdam News represents one of the few contemporaneous reports of the Exposition recorded in the media. The fact that this article is contained in one of the oldest Black owned newspapers in New York City also suggests that the Exposition was considered newsworthy in neighboring Harlem, lending more evidence to the prevailing theory that the Exposition was a desegregated event (another reason why it may have been expunged from Columbia’s historical records in future years). While the clipping contained in the “time capsule” was simply an advertisement for the Expo, its inclusion has led to the discovery of more news coverage, particularly in past editions of the Amsterdam News.
Edison Cylinder Record
One of the most fascinating items in the Jenkins Time Capsule was a phonograph cylinder with a souvenir recording of the Exposition’s official song. Phonograph cylinders were some of the earliest forms of music recording, followed soon after by what we call “records'' today. By the time of the Exposition, phonograph cylinders were on their way out, but some companies continued to champion the more durable cylindrical format. “The Blueberry Blues” was likely already a popular song of the time but later adopted by The Columbia Exposition due to the blue theme found in much of the exposition’s programming and souvenirs.
Personalized Stationery
Most mysterious and least informative, inside the time capsule was found a piece of aging, blank stationery paper. The only clue as to its origin is the inclusion of personalized initials at the top of the page: D.D.T.
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Could this be the name of the person who packed the former cocktail shaker full of objects and buried it? Or was the person known as “D.D.T.” somehow involved with the Exposition at large? Sadly, we may never know.