Century-old time capsule to be opened at City Hall centennial celebrations

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The City of St. Joseph will mark a historic milestone with a ceremony celebrating the 100th anniversary of the placement of the City Hall cornerstone and time capsule.

The celebration will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 27, on the St. Joseph City Hall patio and in the lobby. The public is invited to attend the event.

The date marks 100 years since the time capsule was placed inside the building's cornerstone on March 25, 1926.

The evening will begin with a formal cornerstone rededication ceremony conducted by the Grand Lodge of Missouri, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

The ceremony will take place outside near the original cornerstone and will be led by St. Joseph resident Emmett J. Bryson, the grand master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri.

The rededication, conducted according to the ancient rites of the Masons, will echo the same traditions used when the cornerstone was first laid a century ago.

The ceremony will also include Masonic elements of corn, wine and oil, which represent nourishment, refreshment and joy. These symbols are used in cornerstone ceremonies around the world and express the hope that the building they bless will continue to promote prosperity, harmony and the welfare of all who enter.

The Masonic ceremony is expected to last about 30 minutes. If the weather prevents the ceremony from taking place outside, it will be moved inside to the City Hall lobby.

St. Joseph Mayor John Josendal will deliver brief remarks on the day's significance before opening the historic time capsule.

The March 27 event will serve as the kickoff to the City of St. Joseph's formal celebration of two major milestones.

The city will celebrate the 100th anniversaries of both City Hall and the Missouri Theater next summer. The Missouri Theater opened on June 25, 1927, and City Hall opened shortly after on July 7, 1927.

Community members are encouraged to attend and participate in the celebration of St. Joseph's history and heritage.