ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — Since 1906, an Elizabethtown building that is now the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce has seen history roll by. 

What You Need To Know

  • A time capsule found inside an Elizabethtown building has contents dating back to July 1906 

  • The capsule was placed into the corner of the building that would become city hall

  • Items include newspaper clippings and advertisements, which depict men's and women's clothing of the day 

  • The time capsule also features a postcard with a photo of President Lincoln, among other items 

The building is now undergoing renovations, and it's why Don Holton and his colleagues are there right now. Over Labor Day weekend, Holton was replacing bricks in its walls when he found a piece of glass in a pocket inside.

“We found a glass jar containing all the paperwork that we found from 1906," said Holton, a contractor with the Durable Restoration Company. "There are newspapers, bank notes." 

The capsule’s contents date back to July 12, 1906. It was placed into the corner of the building that would become city hall.

“We never know what we’re going to find," Holton said. "It’s kind of really neat to find a time capsule from that time period.” 

It has newspaper clippings from 1906, including an advertisement reading, "Semi-annual sweeping out sale. Big sale going on! Tell your friends and neighbors!" 

There are envelopes mentioning the Elizabethtown fair and a postcard with a photo of President Lincoln. There are the front pages of two newspapers, depicting what women's and men's fashion was like during that time period. In one ad, the first two people who buy the most goods during the sale got a free "$15 talking machine," similar to record players nowadays.

“It smells beautiful," said Margy Poorman, president and CEO of the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce. "It smelled like history and a wonderful opportunity for both Elizabethtown and Hardin County and all of Kentucky to see this moment in time that was captured by our forefathers." 

In one of the papers, there’s a mention of H.Y. Davis’ grandfather, who was a banker.

“I was anxious to see what it said," said Davis, of Magnolia Bank. "It just mentioned local news. Back in the day, they would say H.Y. Davis and his wife visited somebody in Indiana or whatever, and that’s really all it said about that. But the fact that he was even mentioned ... a bank in a small town back then (was) relatively prominent, so it was fun.” 

As for what happens next, Poorman said the Chamber of Commerce will try to preserve the capsule’s contents. Based on the government’s method and recommendation, she said it plans to use a partner to find the best way to showcase it for the future.

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