Century Old Time Capsule

09-20-2025

A bold idea took root.

In 1913, Virginia Sohlberg, President of the Ladies Aid Society, proposed creating a time capsule. She shared the plan with Reverend Newton H. Royer while driving her electric car. Together, they saw an opportunity to fundraise while preserving history. This vision grew into the remarkable Century Old Time Capsule.

The church sought lasting growth.

The First English Lutheran Church began in 1902, after members from Kansas sparked interest in Indian Territory. Services first took place in a courthouse, where members cleaned courtrooms before worship. By 1911, they bought land at 1300 North Robinson. Funds ran low, leaving them without a church organ, but their determination fueled creativity.

A campaign raised funds.

Reverend Royer embraced Sohlberg’s idea. Donors could “rent space” inside the chest, placing names and keepsakes for the future. Money collected funded a $3,200 organ, with Andrew Carnegie pledging half. That organ still plays today. The Century Old Time Capsule not only captured history but also strengthened the community.

The community united in spirit.

Excitement quickly spread across Oklahoma City and beyond. Prominent citizens, church members, and leaders eagerly contributed. On April 22, 1913, a special service celebrated the project. Attendees purchased tickets, and a phonograph recorded the event. Both Governor Lee Cruce and Mayor Whit M. Grant spoke before Reverend Royer sealed the chest.

The chest carried meaning.

Crafted from copper, the chest measured six feet long and three feet wide. Workers encased it in cement beneath the church basement. They buried it on April 22, 1913, honoring the Land Run of 1889. This symbolic act ensured the Century Old Time Capsule would preserve Oklahoma’s story for a century.

Discovery amazed onlookers.

On April 13, 2013, crews labored eleven hours to unearth the chest. Weighing 1,200 pounds, it required a heavy hoist. Downtown OKC shared updates and photos, while crowds gathered to watch. After one hundred years, the capsule emerged, bringing history back into the present.

Oklahoma treasures live on.

Inside, curators found Native American artifacts, photographs, clothing, coins, family histories, and a phonograph. A special “Century Chest Edition” of The Oklahoma News was also preserved. Today, the Oklahoma Historical Center protects and displays the contents. The Century Old Time Capsule reminds us that vision and unity can create a lasting legacy.

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