Unsealing the past: Marion Fire Department opens time capsule from 1905

A treasure trove of Marion Fire Department history was recently uncovered when firefighters discovered a time capsule inside the cornerstone of the former Station No. 2, located at the corner of Center and Davids streets.

Capt. Ryan Redmon of the Marion Fire Department said the department was informed not long ago that the former fire station, which is now owned by local entrepreneur Ted Graham, was in the process of being demolished. The Marion Steam Shovel Co. was the original owner of the property before the City of Marion acquired it in December of 1904.

After securing permission from Graham, on May 24, a group of firefighters began the task of removing the building's cornerstone in order to preserve it as part of the department's history.

Redmon said the plan was to have the cornerstone placed in an exhibit at the new main fire station, which will be located on city-owned property adjacent to OhioHealth Marion General Hospital. What they found inside was a complete surprise, Redmon said, and opens up new possibilities for the historical display in the new building.

"Honestly, we were at the point where we were about to stop (trying to remove the cornerstone) because we were concerned about the stability of the building. We didn't want to risk there being a collapse," he explained. "As we were finishing up, we happened to look inside and there was a gap in the cornerstone. I slid my hand in there and felt upwards and realized there was definitely something in there.

"Between myself and firefighter (Andrew) Niles, we managed to get (what turned out to be the time capsule) out of there. Actually, it just fell out once we got bricks out of the way. It was just sitting in there. We were beside ourselves. We had no idea that was in there. To find something that pertinent to our history, it's just very exciting for our guys."

Fast forward to 4 p.m. on May 31, the time and day the department set aside to host a ceremony to open the time capsule, and the level of excitement increased dramatically when department officials discovered what was sealed inside the copper box.

Following is a list of the items, historic documents and other artifacts, that Redmon and Niles carefully removed from the time capsule:

• Nine early 20th-century era Marion Fire Department badges
• Original lease for the property from the Marion Steam Shovel Co. to the City of Marion
• An 1878 invitation from the Delphos Fire Department for the “Northwestern Ohio Volunteer Fireman’s Association Fireman’s Games"
• A roster of 1905 City of Marion officials
• Four copies of the Marion Daily Star newspaper from July of 1905
• A contract from 1905 between the City of Marion and construction contractor James B. Luke to build the fire station
• An agenda from the second annual Marion Fire Department Ball dated April 24, 1905
• A letter from Chief McFarland stating that the cornerstone was set on July 20, 1905, and listing the names of the firemen employed at the two stations and the Huber Manufacturing Company Fire Department
• A 1905 brochure that lists all the products the Marion Steam Shovel Co. manufactured at that time
• Two rosters listing the members of Hose Company 1 and Hose Company 2
• A copy of the 1905 Merit Systems Rules containing rules for promotion and hiring of firefighters

"Honestly, I felt like a kid at Christmas when (firefighter Andrew Niles) got that box open," Redmon said with a broad grin across his face. "We had no idea what was in there. It wasn't even completely open yet and we had those badges staring out at us. Immediately, there was absolute excitement. If it wasn't for us finding this box, we'd have no way to find the information that was contained inside it. You can't put a dollar value on that."

The paper documents and metal badges retrieved from the copper time capsule were in extremely good condition after having been sealed away for 118 years. Marion County Historical Society Director Brandi Wilson explained what the next steps are for properly preserving the artifacts for future display in the new fire station.

"A lot of the paper products need to be encapsulated so that we can preserve their quality," Wilson said. "I know one of the books (Marion Steam Shovel Co. brochure from 1905) is a little bent and there is a process that we'll use to straighten that out. We'll help them get everything preserved as it should be so that it's safe for the next generations to be able look at and enjoy. Maybe they can even do a time capsule to place in the new building."

Wilson noted that it's always a thrill to discover new tidbits of local history, like the artifacts found inside the former Station No. 2 building.

"This is very exciting and I'm very excited for the firemen," Wilson said. "We've been working with Firefighter Niles and a few of the other gentlemen who have been coming (to the historical society) and researching history and learning about the history of the firemen who have worked in our community. To find this, I think they're on cloud nine just as much as (historical society officials) are."

Redmon said Marion Fire Department officials plan to begin site preparation for the new main fire station this summer with the goal breaking ground and beginning construction during the summer of 2024. He said departmental memorabilia will be placed in a display case in the new building once construction is completed.

"We just don't have the space right now to be able to show everything we have from our past," Redmon explained. "With the new station, we're looking to have a formal display case where we can show off our history - and there's a lot of it."

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter