Arlington Cemetery’s 105-year-old time capsule reveals lost treasures

First, conservator Caitlin Smith carefully drilled a hole in the sealed copper box that had just been removed from the cornerstone of the century-old amphitheatre at Arlington National Cemetery.

With a special viewing scope, she peered inside. There sat another mysterious box, held with metal bands. She cut off the lid of the outer box, and historian Tim Frank lifted the inner box.

Ms Smith, wearing a white lab coat, white mask and blue surgical gloves, was nervous. She knew she might be the first person to see inside this box in 105 years. She drilled a hole and took a look.