TIME CAPSULE: NEW LONDON A PROPOSAL BY CONNECTICUT COLLEGE STUDENTS JACOB BRILL-WEIL, EVA BRYDSON, MARIAN HANCOCKCERUTTI, CAITLIN TEARE, JENNIFER WILSON PROFESSOR ANNA VALLYE MAY 2019 Research contributed by Nadia Grace Bednarczuk, Antionette Burgess, Linnea Coffin, Jamila Ezbidi, Megan Feragne, Sachi Fukaya, Shannon Kennedy, Brittany Krasner, Quinlan Low, Grace McGee, Rose Montera, Cal Nadeau, Olga Nikolaeva, Fiona Ocain, Lisamarie Rojas, and Erin Smith With “A New London Guide to Time Capsule Preservation” by Nadia Grace Bednarczuk This report suggests ways that the city of New London may be celebrated in the form of a time capsule. It is the outcome of research by students in two Architectural Studies seminars held at Connecticut College in the 2018-2019 academic year. This project was inspired by a 1912 time capsule discovered in a cornerstone of the New London Municipal Building (City Hall) in 2016. The students selected for in-depth study a number of socially and culturally significant sites in New London’s urban fabric that could be represented in a future time capsule through narrative accounts, related artifacts, images and other media. Their research on the city is presented in an exhibition “Time Capsule: New London” held at the Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives at Connecticut College, 9 May - 15 August 2019, accompanied by a virtual exhibition website hosted by Linda Lear Center Digital Collections and Exhibitions http://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/neatline/show/timecapsule. Our work was done in appreciation of New London’s complex history and actuality, and we hope that it may inspire the community to create its own record and testimony for the future. --Anna Vallye New London?s Commerce Timeline Union Bank 1 792 Population increase 1 709 Odd Town Mill 1 650 1600 1700 1781 Burning of Benedict Arnold New London City National Bank National Whaling Bank, Custom House and Dock 1 83 3 railroad 1 849 II 1800 846 Invention of Kerosene Abolition of slavery (End of West Indies) 1844 Bank Street?s paved and curbed Arrival of the - West Indies - Whaling - Retail, Banking, Manufacturing Commercial decline Factors Sites 1865 . Building of Mall Tourism 1984 18805 Building of Highway 1943 Captain?s Walk 1973 2000 Mohican Hotel 1 896 The Great Depression WW1 WWII 1912 1 2 1939 1900 99 1873 1960s roc er 1 905 Urban Renewal House . Savmgs Bank 1879 . 1 93 8 Shef?eld Pharmaceutleals Great Hurricane Jamila Ezbidi, Olga Nikolaeva, Sachi Fukaya. Design by Sachi Fukaya. Design and photography by Caitlin Teare. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction (Marian Hancock-Cerutti).......................................... p.1 2. Time Capsule Contents (Eva Brydson)......................................... p.3 3. Time Capsule Container and Preservation (Jacob Brill-Weil)....... p.7 4. Time Capsule Location and Display (Caitlin Teare)...................... p.13 5. Time Capsule Placement Events and Ceremony (Jennifer Wilson)……………………………………………………… p.18 APPENDIX I: Sample List of Artifacts……………………………………. p.20 APPENDIX II: A New London Guide to Time Capsule Preservation: The Making and Designing Process for a Proactive and Successful Time Capsule in the 21st Century (Nadia Grace Bednarczuk)……………….. p.26 INTRODUCTION Marian Hancock-Cerutti How do we begin to understand the identity of a place, when it is not only elusive, but multifaceted, historically influenced, and plural? With a compilation of research from last semester's course on the history of New London, we were tasked with examining the identity of the city of New London, and to create an exhibit which showcased this identity. 1 We began discussing what determines or constitutes the identity of a place. Is it the people? Is it the institutions? The history? We concluded that though the identity of a place is impossible to pinpoint precisely, it encompasses all of these facets and more. Through in-depth discussions and careful consideration, we chose to let the institutions and locations of New London stand for themselves. Thus began our selection process, which encompassed both historical and contemporary sites from a myriad of areas, such as military, commercial, and community life, to name a few. We were particularly interested in understanding how the changing demographics and economic phases of the city had affected these institutions. For example, one of the sites we researched is Muddy Waters Cafe, which was once the National Whaling Bank of New London, demonstrating the city’s adaptations to changing industry, as well as its storied past in the whaling economy that brought such grandeur in its heyday. Another site we chose is the Fort Trumbull Area, which went through very different phases in its history since its original creation for a military purpose. Similarly, we decided to highlight the Hygenic Art Gallery, which was originally a restaurant, saved from demolition by local artists who worked together to transform 1 Erica Moser, “Conn College Students Create Proposals for New London Time Capsule,” The Day, 7 December 2018. 1 the space into the thriving art gallery that it is today. New London’s Homeless Hospitality Center, established more recently, is also highlighted in our exhibit, as one of the city’s many hardworking nonprofits serving the community. Through these locations and institutions, and many more, we sought to capture the spirit, resilience, and character of New London. Our proposed time capsule contains items related to those sites, such as menus from local restaurants, pamphlets from nonprofit organizations, newspaper clippings, artifacts and souvenirs from historical landmarks, and so on. We hope that this would capture a part of New London’s constantly adapting identity as it stands today, and preserve it for future generations. 2 Studen photo by Maya Weis TIME CAPSULE CONTENTS Eva Brydson The places that we chose to research are the starting points for generating items for proposed inclusion in the Time Capsule. We have gathered ideas about contemporary artifacts from each location that epitomize the character of that place, thus conveying the spirit of the city. Here are some ways that we have thought to represent a site in the urban fabric through physical artifacts that may be collected in a time capsule container. Such artifacts could be broken into two categories: (1) place-related and (2) community-generated. By characterizing the artifacts in this way we are able to focus on the two most important aspects of the city: its location and its people. 1. The place-related artifacts are items from different sites throughout New London that directly speak to the significance of that place and its influence on the character of the city. The place-related artifacts we propose are also among the objects displayed in our virtual and physical exhibitions, Time Capsule: New London: held at the Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives (9 May - 15 August 2019) and located online at http://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/neatline/show/time-capsule. While both exhibitions also include historical items from our researched sites, we feel that it would be best for the items in the Time Capsule to be exclusively contemporary, to give future residents the best possible view into life in New London in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Some examples of the items that we propose for inclusion in the Time Capsule 3 are menus from local restaurants, a tube of toothpaste from Sheffield Pharmaceuticals, renderings of the Future National Coast Guard Museum, and more. Food is a uniting element of society, so we suggest including menus from popular restaurants in New London. Examples from our exhibition are menus from Muddy Waters Cafe and Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock, both of which contribute to the community life of the city. Additionally, in the case of Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock, the restaurant is very unique, due to its location on the water, so it is especially characteristic of New London’s restaurant scene. Sheffield Pharmaceuticals is one of the longest-existing companies in New London and also gives the city the distinction of being the birthplace of tubed toothpaste. Both of these features of the place influence the city’s identity, and a tube of toothpaste manufactured at the company and still widely sold today represents its significance. The Coast Guard has shaped New London’s physical and cultural identity significantly over time, and plans to continue to do so with the Future National Coast Guard Museum. If it is completed, the future recipients of the Time Capsule will have the National Coast Guard Museum as a feature of their urban landscape. Architectural renderings of the proposed structure from over a hundred years earlier will be extremely compelling as a reflection of the Coast Guard’s involvement in the city’s development. We would also propose including contemporary documentation of city places so that future viewers can see how much or how little New London landmarks have changed over time. Our proposal includes student photography of the cityscape around New London, as well as student sound recordings taken at different locations in the city. 4 These photographs and sounds are compiled and presented on our virtual exhibition website Time Capsule: New London (http://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/neatline/show/timecapsule.) For this reason, we also suggest including a flash drive that holds our virtual exhibition, to document the research that initiated this project. This would also give more context to the Time Capsule artifacts, as well as further information about the historical significance of each New London site. 2. In addition to place-related artifacts, we would also propose including community-generated artifacts. These are items that would be created by members of the New London community as an opportunity for them to reflect on their city and its role in their lives. The words and stories of modern-day New Londoners will add vibrancy and excitement to the artifacts in the Time Capsule and will give future New Londoners further insight into what life was like in the city when the Time Capsule was created. Some ideas for these artifacts are to ask local elementary-school students to draw pictures of their city, invite New Londoners to write poetry or anecdotes about the city, and conduct interviews with community members. These artifacts would be an opportunity to convey the character and spirit of the city directly from New Londoners themselves. The products of these interactions with members of the community could vary from audio recordings, to written documents, to crayon drawings. If it is decided to include such community-generated artifacts, it will take an organized effort to collect them. The included artifacts will need to be collected, 5 recorded, and credited. As an example, these are some possible steps that would be required to collect drawings from a local elementary school: 1. Form a task force to lead the collection process ○ This might include members of City Hall and volunteers from throughout the community, including students from the Coast Guard Academy, Mitchell College, and Connecticut College. 2. Invite two to three schools to participate ○ This will keep the pool of submissions relatively small and will allow for an easier selection process. Schools with varying missions, such as a public school, private school, and charter school are encouraged to broaden the scope of the collection. C.B. Jennings International Magnet, Harbor Elementary, and Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet Schools would all be options. 3. Send task force to elementary schools to speak with students about the project ○ This is a great opportunity for members of the community to engage with the elementary school students. The task force can explain the Time Capsule project and pose motivating questions for the students to consider. 4. Ask the students questions to motivate their drawings ○ Such questions could include: what is your favorite part of your city? Where do you like to play with your friends? What does New London mean to you? Where does your family like to go in the city? These questions are intended to encourage the students to consider many aspects of the city in their drawing. 5. Collect all drawings and determine selection to include in Time Capsule ○ Depending on the number of submissions or collected drawings and the size of the Time Capsule, the task force may need to select a small number of drawings to include. Considerations such as diversity of origin, visual differences, and subject should be noted while selecting drawings. This example demonstrates the need for a group of volunteers to work on the collection of one kind of community-generated artifact. This could be a great opportunity for members of City Hall, local higher education establishments, and other members of the community to come together to work on the creation of the Time Capsule, which would enrich the final product itself. 6 TIME CAPSULE CONTAINER AND PRESERVATION Jacob Brill-Weil An important aspect of planning any time capsule is properly preserving all the carefully collected artifacts. The importance of making meticulous plans to properly seal and preserve the time capsule was highlighted by the example of the 1912 New London City Hall time capsule, many of the contents of which had sadly deteriorated due to moisture and other issues.3 This is key for the future generation that opens our time capsule to be able to understand our current era and learn from the items inside of the time capsule. Planning and organizing the physical time capsule to properly preserve the selected artifacts is a complex task. We have attempted to break down this complicated process into an easily understandable set of suggestions and guidelines for future time capsule curators to follow in order to create the most successful and well-preserved time capsule possible. We have also designed a field guide, which may be printed out as a booklet for easy reference (see Appendix). There are three key things to consider when selecting or designing a time capsule. The strength of the container material, its porosity or ideally lack thereof, and finally chemical stability of the contents are all crucial aspects of a successfully preserved time capsule. The selected container material needs to be strong enough to withstand over a century of pressure. It must also be water- and air-tight in order to prevent any moisture from getting in, as this would make all the items much more likely to deteriorate or disintegrate. Lastly, the time capsule must eliminate the likelihood of 3 Amanda Hutchinson, “New London City Hall Time Capsule Reveals Century-Old Coins, Documents,” The Day, 16 November 2016. 7 chemical cross-contamination among the contents made of different materials. Each item should be individually sealed in plastic polyethylene bags to minimize this risk. This reduces the chance of chemical cross-contamination and also prevents the time capsule container itself from deteriorating from the inside out. For the reasons listed above, stainless steel or composite material are good options that are commonly used in time capsule containers today. The assembly of the objects within the physical container is an important aspect of planning a successfully preserved time capsule. The University of Minnesota has created guidelines for proper assembly and layout of time capsule artifacts and these guidelines are listed below. University of Minnesota Conservation Guidelines: 1. Place the heaviest objects on bottom. 2. Label all objects with a soft non-lead pencil. 3. Keep an inventory list with descriptions of each item. 4. Fill the empty space with crumbled acid free paper. 5. Avoid interaction of materials by bagging everything in polyethylene bags. 6. No adhesives, clips, or joiners. Additionally, here are rules-of-thumb on preservation requirements for different types of materials: ● Paper: Always use buffer ○ acid-free paper ○ avoid newsprint (make copies) ● Fabric: Don’t fold ○ mylar process ○ avoid wool, silk, nylon ● Metals: Don’t let them breathe ○ coins should be stored in corrosion-resistant sleeves Digital Media: Give multiple formats ○ Use oxygen absorbers ○ Put into corrosion intercept film sheets ● 8 ○ Give the files their own environment ● Photographs: The most delicate ○ Archivally processed b&w prints ○ Fiber-based paper ○ Archival quality envelopes ○ Don’t laminate & no adhesives ● Organic Samples: ○ Freeze-dry ○ Eternise process If these guidelines are followed, the artifacts placed in the time capsule should be preserved for the opening ceremony and for that generation to appreciate and learn from. 9 Requirements for a Successful Time Capsule (including potential costs). A time capsule container may be custom-made, or it may be selected from a number of options currently available for purchase. For example, Heritage Time Capsules (www.heritagetimecapsules.com) is at the forefront of the time capsule container industry. They have affordable options that meet the criteria laid out above for successfully preserving time capsule contents. They have a variety of options of all shapes and sizes. For example, they have a medium rectangle composite material time capsule for $549. It is 19.8 x 18.2 x 10.3 inches and has an integrated seamless foam gasket seal. Additionally, there is a space for a personalized logo (for example, a New London City emblem) for an additional cost of $109. Based on our research and the items we have suggested, we believe that this time capsule option would work very well. The Heritage Time Capsules website lists plenty of variations on this version including other rectangular time capsules and cylindrical time capsules in multiple sizes and materials. 10 Further benefits of these time capsule containers are listed below: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Easy to seal Watertight Lightweight Clean appearance, refined lines Stable material withstands large temperature fluctuations (-40F to 250F) High chemical resistance (acids and alkalis) Excellent strength and impact characteristics Can be buried with no additional enclosure Along with the container itself there are a few other elements necessary to curate a successfully preserved time capsule. We have compiled a list of these components, combined with examples of accessible options currently available for purchase on amazon.com. All of these elements (including the physical container) come to an exact total of $710.06 and links to each item are listed below. 1. Heritage Time Capsules Container A medium-size time capsule container may be purchased for $549. https://www.heritagetimecapsules.com/collections/composite/products/mediumcomposite-rectangle?variant=255649964 2. Archival Paper A 25-pack of archival paper is currently available on amazon.com for under $20. https://www.amazon.com/Sheets-Linen-Ladys-Archival-Tissue/dp/B00IFP4E2C/ ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=archival+paper&qid=1557792365&s=gateway&sr=8-2spons&psc=1 3. Oxygen Absorbers A 100-pack of oxygen absorbers can be bought for under $10. https://www.amazon.com/Oxy-Sorb-Oxygen-Absorbers-Storage-100-Pack/dp/ B0028AG8RO 11 4. Corrosion Intercept Zip Lock Bags 10 Corrosion Intercept Anti-Tarnish Zip-lock Bags can be purchased for under $10. https://www.amazon.com/Corrosion-Intercept-Anti-tarnish-Zip-lock-Pack/dp/ B001V9XUME 5. Archival Envelopes 30 archival envelopes are available for $30. https://www.amazon.com/John-Porter-Everyday-Archives-Envelopes/dp/B01GS6277S/ ref=pd_lpo_vtph_bs_tr_t_1? _encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CR5JAD0NBHE285WD3X2H 12 TIME CAPSULE LOCATION AND DISPLAY Caitlin Teare When considering the potential location of the future Time Capsule, we kept our minds open and explored various locations across the city. During the research conducted by the first-semester students, optional locations discussed included the area in front of Union Station or another area in downtown New London. If one of these locations were to be chosen by the New London community, a landmark or monument to mark its existence might be built. Ultimately, however, we thought that the placement of the new Time Capsule in the City Hall building, the location of the 1912 time capsule that we took as our inspiration, might be the most fitting. This way the capsule itself could be embedded within the physical structure of the building, similar to its original discovery in the cornerstone of the building in 2016.4 However, we would suggest locating the new Time Capsule near the entrance to the City Hall building, rather than within its cornerstone, as was the case with the previous time capsule. This way, the location would harken back to the precedent, but be more visible to a casual passerby. The Time Capsule’s visibility would build anticipation for its projected opening date, and also ensure that it will not be forgotten once it is placed in the ground. 4 See Hutchinson, “New London City Hall Time Capsule.” 13 For example, the image below shows an example of a time capsule embedded in the floor at the entrance to a building, but left visible to visitors. The capsule’s prominence in the New London City Hall building would create an inclusive message, accessible to the entire New London community. The 1912 time capsule and its contents could also be displayed in a case alongside the new Time Capsule, as shown in the example below. 14 The existence of both cases side-by-side would generate an association between the old time capsule and the new, connecting these two moments a century apart when the city decided to commemorate itself and send a message to posterity. Examples of Existing Time Capsules. The two examples below suggest different models for the display and commemoration of a time capsule. 1. This time capsule commemorating the fifth anniversary of General Dynamics Astronautics facility in San Diego, California was placed in 1963 and will be opened 100 years later in 2063. The most important artifacts placed inside include a booklet that 15 contains predictions by scientists, politicians, astronauts, and military commanders about the state of space exploration in the year 2063. The plaque displayed above reads: Prophecies by distinguished Americans of man’s employment of space in 2063 A.D. Sealed in ceremonies commemorating the fifth anniversary of the dedication of this General Dynamics astronautics facility. July `963. “Time will explain it all.” Euripides (484-406 B.C.). A similar plaque could mark the location of the new Time Capsule in New London’s City Hall. If the circular design is chosen, the engraved message would turn around the outside in a circular shape. 2. The time capsule above is located in Seward, Nebraska. Although the truth of this is disputed, this capsule is claimed to be the largest in the world. Designed by 16 Harold Keith Davisson and sealed in 1975, this capsule contains 5,000 diverse items. This way of approaching the New London Time Capsule display would be more appropriate for placement outside of the City Hall building, perhaps in the downtown area where a monument could be created to mark its location. 17 TIME CAPSULE PLACEMENT EVENTS AND CEREMONY Jennifer Wilson Once the future Time Capsule is complete and ready to be placed in its chosen site, we propose that the City of New London carry out a placement ceremony or celebration to honor the people and places of New London. It would be a great way to recognize the past, present, and future dedication and enthusiasm of New London citizens, which fuels the spirit of the city. A ceremony held on the day of the Time Capsule placement could also become an annual celebration in the city. This occasion could foster a sense of community pride and appreciation for New London, reminding residents of the special history and multifaceted identity of their city. Based on our research into ceremonies that accompanied the placement of other time capsules, including the 1912 New London City Hall time capsule that inspired our project, we suggest planning a day-long celebration. It could include some or all of the following: a ribbon-cutting ceremony at City Hall, a parade through downtown New London, as well as a public vote or announcement on when the Time Capsule would be opened in the future. Following the placement of the Time Capsule, the ribbon-cutting would be the first event of the ceremony, celebrating this monumental occasion. The citizens of New London could gather around City Hall, representing the aspirations, ideals, and commitment of all those who make New London the city it is. Next, there could be a parade through the main streets of New London and along the banks of the Thames River. The parade could consist of local K-12 students, marching bands, cheerleaders, 18 and musical performers. Finally, this parade could become an annual event celebrating the city’s past, present, and future: New London Day. For inspiration in planning this celebration, we could look to some events that have taken place in the past, such as celebratory time capsules at World’s Fairs, or the Jubilee Time Capsule, honoring Queen Elizabeth II of England. A ceremony took place at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, accompanying the laying of a time capsule. This capsule hoped to seal the accomplishments of the time, for future generations to uncover in amazement. The mission statement accompanying the burial of this time capsule declared: “THE ENVELOPE FOR A MESSAGE TO THE FUTURE BEGINS ITS EPIC JOURNEY.”5 Additionally, the time capsule created in 2012 to celebrate the Queen of England’s Diamond Jubilee brought together thousands of artifacts placed within the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Lastly, when considering the projected date of opening, we propose somewhere around one hundred years from the time of placement, as this length allows for the urban landscape to dramatically change, but still be the recognizable city we know and love. We suggest precisely 104 years, as this was the exact amount of time between the placement of the city’s last time capsule in 1912 and its discovery in 2016. 5 "The Book of Record of the Time Capsule of Cupaloy, Deemed Capable of Resisting the Effects of Time for Five Thousand Years, Preserving an Account of Universal Achievements, Embedded in the Grounds of the New York World's Fair, 1939 : [Westinghouse Electric Corporation] : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming." Internet Archive. January 01, 1970. Accessed May 13, 2019. https://archive.org/details/timecapsulecups00westrich/page/n7. 19 APPENDIX 1 SAMPLE LIST OF ARTIFACTS IMAGE TITLE RELATED SITE Dr. Sheffield’s Toothpaste, 2019 Sheffield Pharmaceuticals Muddy Waters Cafe Menu, 2019 Muddy Waters Cafe Custom House “Maritimes” Brochure, 2018 New London Custom House and Maritime Museum 20 Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock Menu, 2018 Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock Mohican Hotel contemporary photograph (student photo), 2019 The Mohican Hotel (Mohican Apartments) Submarine Force Library and Museum Coffee Mug, 2019 Naval Submarine Base New London 21 Informational video (on flash drive) of General Dynamics/Electric Boat history/mission statement General Dynamics/Electric Boat New London Maritime Society Informational Pamphlet, 2019 New London Maritime Society (New London Harbor Lighthouse) Photograph depicting the Naval Submarine military presence and dedication Base New London of New London, The Day photo collection 22 Present Day Uniform of United States Coast Guard Cadets United States Coast Guard Academy Gallery Yoga Brochure, The The Lyman Allyn Art Museum Lyman Allyn Art Museum, 2019 „The Rise and Fall of the Capitol The Capitol Theater Theater,“ The Day, 2006 23 Public Library of New London bag Public Library of New London Architectural Renderings for the Future National Coast Guard Museum, www.coastguardmuseum.org Future National Coast Guard Museum Architectural Renderings for the “Thames River Reconnection,” www.thamesriverinnovation.org Thames River Innovation Place 24 Informational pamphlet about the activities/facilities at present day Fort Trumbull Fort Trumbull Hygienic art gallery 2019 exhibition Schedule Hygienic Art Gallery Current Whale Oil Row photo (student photo), 2019 Whale Oil Row 25 A New London Guide to Time Capsule Preservation The Making & Designing Process for a Proactive and Successful Time Capsule in the 21st Century By: Nadia Grace Bednarczuk PRELUDE Conservation and preservation are lengthy tasks. The real question is: How do we simplify and organize all of these dense materials and methods to guide future time capsule curators to create the most successful time capsules they can? The answer seemed clear, which was to take all of this dense, rich, and overwhelming information regarding the chemistry of preservation, and to break it down into a simple guide for people who care about the success of their time capsule, but even more so want to be solely the creative designers instead of preservationists. By taking all of the preservation data/research and creating a field guide of sorts will allow time capsule designers to go about their process of currating a time capsule in a productive manner and ultimately avoiding all the back and forth researching. Contents Exterior Material The Options Assembly Interior Items The Inevitable Common Sense Thoughtfulness Bibliography Colophon Exterior Material The Criteria: Time capsule containers must be: 1. Strong The choice in material for the time capsule will dramatically affect the wdeterioration speed and experience for the receivers of the time capsule in X years. 2. Waterproof A single leak, hole, or unsealed crack in a time capsule can be the deciding factor between a successful or unsuccessful opening ceremony. When objects in the capsule are vulnerable to water they are much more likely to deteriorate (fade, rip, weaken). 3. Chemically Stable By having a time capsule where all of its interior objects are individually sealed in plastic polyethylene bags, the curators are reducing the chances of chemical cross contamination and increased deterioration speed of the exterior from the inside out. The Options Materiality 1. Stainless Steel Stainless steel is made up of iron, chromium, nickel, manganese and copper Stronger than aluminum and more likely to be water sealed 2. Aluminum Not as strong as steel, but almost one third of the weight Aluminum can oxidize and its surface will sometimes pit (weaken) 3. Composite material Two (or more) constituent materials combined together to produce a stronger metal Heaviest and most expensive of the three options Commonly manufactured and used for time capsules in the 21st century Assembly Overview As you collect the items that will be placed into the time capsule it is important to consider how, and in which order, you will assemble of the objects within the capsule. This is important because one wrong step and materials in your time capsule will deteriorate at an excelled rate. Follow these steps originated at the University of Minnesota to assure your time capsule is assembled correctly and pro actively. Minnesota Conservation Guidelines 1. Place the heaviest objects on bottom. 2. Label all objects with a soft non lead pencil. 3. Keep a inventory list with descriptions of each item. 4. Fill the empty space with crumbled acid free paper. 5. Avoid interaction of materials by bagging everything in polyethylene bags. 6. No adhesives, clips, or joiners. Wood Overview Wood is a hard material to preserve in a time capsule because of its inherent need for oxygen. All woods also release acid overtime. If avoidable it is suggested to not put wood inside a time capsule. However if there is a wood object that will be going inside a time capsule it is important to follow these guidelines. Rules 1. Treat wood with oil to allow moisture 2. Seal in double bagged polyethylene bags 3. Avoid oaks and cedars Paper Texts 1. Always use a buffer between sheets 2. Only print on acid free & lingin free paper 3. Avoid newsprint (make copies on acid free paper) 4. Seal in micro chamber envelopes Photographs 1. Must be archivally processed prints 2. Print on fiber based paper only 3. Individual photos in micro chamber envelopes 4. No laminating & no adhesives Fabric When it comes to fabrics in a time capsule, the currators must know how to treat the vast variety of fabrics from clothing to flags or blankets. Note: There are also a list of fabrics to avoid all together when assembling a time capsule because of their fast deterioration speed and high release of chemicals and/or oils. Rules of Thumb: 1. Never fold anything 2. Wash all fabrics in warm water 3. Avoid: silks, wools, & nylons 4. Put each piece in polyethylene bags 5. Put silica gel packs in bags 6. Wrap all fabric in Mylar-D 7. Remove pins, clips, & adhesives Metal OVERVIEW When curating a time capsule one may come across a variety of metals coming into contact with the interior of the capsule, most commonly coins. It is important to treat and isolate all metals in order to avoid excelled deterioration processes. Follow these rules of thumb in order to increase the chances of a successful time capsule. RULES 1. Don’t let metals ‘breathe’ Individual coins or metal types should be stored in separate polyethylene bags 2. Each coin should be stored in corrosion Use corrosion intercept film sheets Technology Putting techonolgy in a time capsule can be a hard task to assess because there is no way to guess what techology, adapters, and even outlets will be used in X years. It is also hard to assess how these pieces of techonolgy will deteriorate over time. In order to sucessfully include technology in your time capsule it is important to follow these rules. RULES 1. Back up everything three times on different devices a. Laptop, hardrive, thumbdrive b. iPhone, laptop, hardrive c. Thumbdrive, iPad, laptop 2. Give hand written instructions a. How to use the machine b. How to access content 3. Seal all chargers and devices separately a. In polyethylene bags The Inevitable When currating a time capsule it is important to take a moment to acknowledge the uncontrollable aspect of deterioration and time. It must be acknowledged that the contents one puts in a time capsule will be subject to inherent deterioration regardless of their initial condition. With that being said, that only encourages us to be the most proactive conservationalists as possible in order to ensure a successful opening ceromony in X years. Common Sense & Thoughtfulness In short use common sense when making a time capsule, if something seems like it will not age well or will cause an issue for other materials, consider photographing it. Do not let photos get crushed by heavier objects, the inks will bleed over time. And lastly, be thoughtful with what goes into the time capsule. This is a representational story of the society we live in today. Be honest, be considerate, and most importantly, be thorough. Bibliography Gayle, M., & Waite, J. (1992). Metals in America’s historic buildings : Uses and preservation treatments. (2nd ed.].. ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resources, Preservation Assistance. Hamid, Sarah. (1998). Constructing a Global Time Capsule: Challenges in the Digital Preservation of Society’s Cultural Memory Archive. Information Technology and Libraries, 17(4), 207-11. “Creating a Digital Time Capsule.” Creating a Digital Time Capsule - Park Regency Thornton Assisted Living and Memory Care, 7 Time Capsule Preservation Secrets Revealed, www.futurepkg.com/7-time-capsule-preservation-secrets-revealed. “Creating a Digital Time Capsule.” Creating a Digital Time Capsule - Park Regency Thornton Assisted Living and Memory Care, www.parkregencythornton.com/creating-a-digital-time-capsule. “How Do I Preserve Documents in a Time Capsule?” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, “Making a Time Capsule.” Planning D-Day (April 2003) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin, Victor, Colophon © 2018, All rights reserved by respective owners. All photographs are property of Nadia Bednarczuk All other marks and symbols are trademarks of The Noun Project Produced and printed in Fall 2018 for the ARCH 470 Time Capsule: New London class. Connecticut College 270 Mohegan Avenue New London, CT 06320 Typeset in Mrs. Eaves .5. 1-33., lid-33ll?lp I UHILITAN HOTEL 3:4: UH I'rrmm .1 i I .T :Huu I