Westmount unveils cornerstone time capsule hidden away in 1922

For 100 years, Westmount has been storing away a hidden time capsule. It was lodged behind the facade of City Hall.

Exactly a century later, the city has decided it’s time to open it.

The first item pulled out of the box was a newspaper from the Montreal Daily Star, dated October 14, 1922.

“This is really cool,” Anthony Chiasson, a Westmount archivist, said. “As a historian archivist, it’s something we don’t encounter very often in our careers or our lifetime.”

Stored away in the copper box are photos, stamps and coins, including a gold $5 coin.

A copy of the city’s bylaws and charter were also placed inside.

An old newspaper, stamps and coins are pulled out of a city of Westmount time capsule.

“It was in between the Great Wars. They too had a pandemic so it’s exciting to see,” Christina Smith, Westmount Mayor, said.

The cornerstone capsule was first discovered when ground penetrating radar was used. Eventually, a masonry company discovered the box nestled within a large piece of stone.

“This was done on purpose so that the box does not have weathering inside,” Chiasson said. “It is in the same condition it was when they put it in the box 100 years ago.”

Chiasson says it is rare to find a city time capsule, but there are plans for Westmount to create another one.

“It will be a capture of today’s Westmount for the people in 100 years to look at,” Smith said.