Will you be alive on 28 May 8113? If so you will be around to see the opening of the Crypt of Civilization, currently housed in the basement of Phoebe Hall at the Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia. When I was looking for things to do on my road trip from Atlanta to Augusta to attend the 2011 Masters golf tournament, I came across the fascinating idea of building a time capsule to be opened many centuries into the future. I like to hide my own time capsules around the world, so I made a special detour on my trip to Augusta to visit the Crypt of Civilization, found on Google Maps here.
The Crypt of Civilization is generally considered to be first time capsule that is planned to be opened on a specific date in the future, as detailed here. But why the specific year of 8113? Many believe that the Egyptian calendar, created in the year 4241BC, marked the first known date in recorded history. Given that the Crypt of Civilization project started in 1936, and that 6,177 years had elapsed since 4241BC, the organizer, Dr Thornwell Jacobs, then President of Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia, decided to add another 6,177 years to 1936 thereby reaching the crypt’s planned opening year of 8113AD. This would effectively mean that the Crypt of Civilization project started half-way through the known history of mankind, making the project a rather fascinating historical achievement.
Leaving Atlanta early in the morning, I followed my GPS and headed towards Oglethorpe University. Surprisingly, I made my way onto campus without hassle or questions from security and parked as close to the Phoebe Hall as I could, as indicated by my GPS. I then headed to Phoebe Hall and was able to walk into the basement without being questioned at all as to what I was doing there. All I wanted to do was see the Crypt of Civilization so I took with me printouts with details in case I was questioned, but that never happened.
After a little time of walking around the basement, I came across the stainless steel door, 20 feet long, 10 feet high and 10 feet wide, welded shut. There is a plaque on the door that reads “This Crypt contains memorials of the civilization which existed in the United States and the world at large during the first half of the twentieth century. In receptacles of stainless steel, in which the air has been replaced by inert gases, are encyclopedias, histories, scientific works, special editions of newspapers, travelogues, travel talks, cinema reels, models, phonographs records, and similar materials from which an adequate idea of the state and nature of the civilization of 1900 to 1950 can be ascertained. No jewels or precious metals are included. We depend upon the laws of the county of DeKalb, the State of Georgia, and the government of the United States and their heirs, assigns, and successors, and upon the sense of sportsmanship of posterity for the continued preservation of this vault until the year 8113, at which time we direct that it shall be opened by authorities representing the above governmental agencies and the administration of Oglethorpe University. Until that time, we beg of all persons that this door and the contents of the crypt within may remain inviolate”.
Honestly, there is not much to see other than the stainless steel door. There is no glass viewing portal into the time capsule and the door is obviously sealed shut in such a way that it will not be opened until 8113. I spent around 10 minutes at the door, taking photos of the plaque and reading the notes alongside, before heading back to my car.
The full contents of the Crypt of Civilization are listed here. It was even featured on the History Channel show called “Life After People”. The best YouTube video that I found is here.
When I was in New York in April 2012 I visited the Westinghouse Time Capsules, detailed here. What you should do is take the train from Manhattan, heading over to Queens. Walk towards the Flushing Meadows tennis stadium and then follow Google Maps here to the time capsule. What you will find is a large round concrete structure about four feet tall, into which has been placed two time capsules that are scheduled to be opened around the year 6900AD.
So, if you are alive many centuries from now, make sure that you first witness the opening of the Westinghouse time capsules in New York, and then hang around for another 1,213 years until they open the Crypt of Civilization.
If you are interested to visit other time capsules in the United States, the list may be found here.
Our other posts on the United States may be found here.
(Visited in April 2011)