Confederate time capsule contents revealed

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - With careful precision, the time capsule opened to the modern world.

"It's exciting," said Richard Forbes, Orlando's Historic Preservation Officer.

What's inside? Things like 60-bucks in confederate money, local newspapers from 1911, etc. One of the papers even had an article referencing an "old-fashioned Pennsylvania chicken and waffles dinner".

Mayor Buddy Dyer said "I was anticipating that we would open it up and it would be a box full of dust."

Most of it is still in tact. For example, minutes from the Fifteenth Annual Convention of the Florida Division of the Daughters of the United Confederacy meeting in Ocala from May 4-7, 1910. Letters and small confederate flags and pins to name a few. Orlando's Historic Preservation Officer, Richard Forbes, carefully pulled it all out in the nick of time.

Forbes explained "I think if we had not opened it this year, in the coming years, with the box having a hole in it from rust, I think the conditions would've worsened quite quickly."

The box was found inside the base of "Johnny Reb", the controversial confederate Statue, moved from Lake Eola Park in recent weeks after some public outcry. As the city prepares to move it to Greenwood Cemetery, the city found a program from the unveiling of the monument in 1911.

Forbes said "I believe it says 'unveiled, and turned over to the city. Again, it mentions care and custody to the city."

A glimpse into Orlando's history

Mayor Buddy Dyer said "We always want to be reflective and mindful of our history. Although so much of our history is yet to be made. We're still a new and growing city."

After opening the more than century-old time capsule.

In terms of what happens next, the city said all of the items will be categorized and will be processed and preserved.

A city spokeswoman says everything found inside will be preserved for archive purposes