CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

Crews Removing Robert E. Lee Statue May Have Found Elusive Time Capsule After All

The capsule allegedly contains a photo of Abraham Lincoln lying dead in his casket.

Virginia workers may have finally found their Holy Grail: an 1887 time capsule that reportedly holds a photo of Abraham Lincoln lying dead in his coffin. The workers had been told to keep an eye out for it while taking down a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee, as the capsule was allegedly hidden in the statue’s base. But when it didn’t turn up in September, workers feared it lost—until Friday, when they found what they believe to be the capsule in the “tower” that erected the monument. The process to excavate and examine the capsule will take a few days, Gov. Ralph Northam’s office said Friday, but it appears to be undamaged.

“If this is confirmed to be the time capsule, it will be transported to the Department of Historic Resources, so it can be opened using best practices for historic preservation to maintain the integrity of the artifacts,” the governor’s office said. Some of the other items believed to be in the capsule include Confederate money and artifacts.