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Time Capsule of 1916 Finding Aid
PROCESSING INFORMATION | SERIES DESCRIPTIONS | CONTAINER LIST
Collection #008
Accession NIST-A-0013
Processed March 2024
Repository: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Research Library & Museum | 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 | Building 101, Room A47
Creator: NBS
Extent: 1.1 LF / .36 meters
Dates: 1910-1994, UNDATED
Scope: Correspondence, newspapers, circulars, drawings, reports, and remarks
Language: English
Provenance: NIST; Library/Archives Subject Files
Access Restrictions: None
Processing Information: Tyler Love, 2024
Related Material:
Organization:
Series I: Contents of Time Capsule
Series II: Related Material
Arrangement: Chronological order within each series
Finding Aid: File Unit Level
History
On March 23, 1916. William C. Redfield, Sect of Commerce laid the stone.
A copper box containing NBS chemistry memorabilia was deposited in the corner-stone of the NBS Chemistry Building in Washington DC. The building was proposed to Congress by the first Director of NBS, S.W. Stratton.
After the building was demolished in the early 60’s, the box was lost for decades. In the early 90s, Barry I. Diamondstone (chemist and deputy director of the Chemical Science and Technology laboratory,) following leads provided by Don Johnson (Director of Technology Service,) eventually tracked down a person who had participated in the demolition of the bldg. and found the box.
In 1994, the capsule was returned to NIST & turned over to the NIST Research Information Center. The box containing the artifacts had been partially opened. It is unknown what the container holding the box and the paper documents looked like or whether it survived.
In 2024, the box was given to the NIST Museum by Barry via Bert Coursey to be put on display.
All the material in this collection was retrieved from the "Time Capsule Washington DC., NBS Chemistry Building" Library/Archives Subject File.
Series Descriptions
Series I: Contents of Time Capsule
Accession: NIST-A-0013
Dates: 1910-1916, UNDATED
Extent: .2 LF / .06 meters
Scope: Newspapers, circulars, drawings, reports, and remarks
Description: Material kept in the library’s Time Capsule subject file. Believed to be original documents that were retrieved from cornerstone. Original photographs are missing.
Organization/Arrangement: Chronological
Series II: Related Materials
Accession: NIST-A-0013
Dates: 1976-1994, UNDATED
Extent: .1 LF / .03 meters
Scope: Correspondence, article
Description: Related material that was kept in the library’s Time Capsule subject file & is relevant to this collection
Organization/Arrangement: Chronological
Container List
Series I: Time Capsule Contents, 1910-1916, UNDATED
| Box | Folder | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 001 | Bureau of Standards Certificates of Analyses | 1910-1914 |
| 1 | 002 | Circulars and Newspapers | 1913-1916 |
| 1 | 003 | The Work of the NBS. An Address by Dr. S.W. Stratton before the Engineers' Club | May 4, 1915 |
| 1 | 004 | 4 Drawings of Bureau of Standards Chemical Building by Don & Deming Architects | June 1915 |
| 1 | 005 | Annual Report of the Director, Bureau of Standards to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1915 | 1915 |
| 1 | 006 | Report to the Director, Bureau of Standards by W.F. Hillebrand, Chief Chemist for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1915 | 1915 |
| 1 | 007 | Specifications of Material and Labor Required in the Construction of a Chemical Laboratory Building for the Bureau of Standards by Don & Deming Architects | 1915 |
| 1 | 008 | Roster of the Entire Chemistry Force at the Bureau of Standards in Washington | March 15, 1916 |
| 1 | 009 | Remarks of Hon. William Redfield, Secretary of Commerce, at the Laying of the Corner-Stone of the New Chemical Laboratory of the NBS | March 23, 1916 |
| 1 | 010 | Remarks of the Chief Chemist, Wm. F. Hillebrand, on the occasion of the Corner Stone Laying of the First Chemistry Building of the NBS | March 23, 1916 |
| 1 | 011 | Remarks of the Director of the Bureau of Standards at the Laying of the Corner Stone of the Chemical Laboratory | March 23, 1916 |
| 1 | 012 | Paper Samples with Typewriter and Ink Examples | UNDATED |
Return to Series I Description.
Series II: Related Materials, 1976-1994, UNDATED
| Box | Folder | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 013 | William B. Folger Correspondence | 1976 |
| 1 | 014 | "CTSL History: The Time Capsule" Article on Recovery of Capsule by Barry I. Diamondstone | 1994 |
| 1 | 015 | List of Time Capsule Contents and Photocopies of Lost(?) Materials Not in Series I | UNDATED |
Return to Series II Description.
Box 2 is for separated materials.