Detroit Century Box

Last updated
The Detroit City Hall in 1900. It was demolished in 1961. Welcome City Hall Detroit.jpg
The Detroit City Hall in 1900. It was demolished in 1961.

The Detroit Century Box is a time capsule that was created in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan on December 31, 1900. Mayor William C. Maybury organized the capsule which consists of a copper box filled with photos and letters containing the then current state of affairs in Detroit along with predictions for the future. Mayor Dennis Archer presided over the opening of the capsule on December 31, 2000. [1] [2]

Contents

Detroit in 1900

Our buildings of today are equipped with fast running elevators, heating, lighting, power plants...

John M. Donaldson, Rise of Architecture in Detroit [3]

In the diocese there 218 priests - 44 Regulars - 174 Seculars. 198 Churches and missions...

John Samuel Foley, Letter to William C. Maybury [4]

We travel by railroad and with steam power from Detroit to Chicago in less than eight hours...

William C. Maybury, Letter of William C. Maybury [5]

Of the 44 United States, 25 have limited suffrage, 4 have full suffrage, limited suffrage is granted in many foreign countries and full suffrage in New Zealand, South and West Australia, and in Isle of Man.

Sara M. Philleo Skinner, Woman's Suffrage - Retrospect and Prophecy [6]

Predictions for the future

In AD 2000, I think it not improbable that Detroit will enjoy a population of fully four millions.

James E. Scripps, Letter to William C. Maybury [7]

I predict further that Sandwich, Windsor and Walkerville now in Canada will be a part of the City of Detroit and that Ontario will be a state of the United States of America.

Orrin R. Baldwin, Letter to William C. Maybury [8]

That prisoners instead of being conveyed to the several police stations in Automobile patrol wagons will be sent through pneumatic tubes, flying machines, or some similar process.

Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police Commission, Letter to William C. Maybury [9]

Notable letter writers

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time capsule</span> Historic objects of goods or information

A time capsule is a historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a deliberate method of communication with future people, and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians. The preservation of holy relics dates back for millennia, but the practice of preparing and preserving a collection of everyday artifacts and messages to the future appears to be a more recent practice. Time capsules are sometimes created and buried during celebrations such as a world's fair, a cornerstone laying for a building, or at other ceremonies.

"Gulf" is a science fiction novella by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, originally published as a serial in the November and December 1949 issues of Astounding Science Fiction and later collected in Assignment in Eternity. It concerns a secret society of geniuses who act to protect humanity. The novel Friday, written in 1982, was loosely a sequel.

<i>Beverly Hills Cop III</i> 1994 American action comedy film by John Landis

Beverly Hills Cop III is a 1994 American action comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and directed by John Landis, who had previously worked with Murphy on Trading Places and Coming to America. It is the third film in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Seminary and University</span> Roman Catholic seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

St. Mary's Seminary and University is a Catholic seminary located within the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland; it was the first seminary founded in the United States after the Revolution and has been run since its founding by the Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWJ (AM)</span> Radio station in Detroit, Michigan

WWJ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to serve Detroit, Michigan, featuring an all-news format known as "Newsradio 950 WWJ". Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station services Metro Detroit, is the market affiliate for CBS News Radio, and the flagship station for the Michigan Sports Network. Operating on a regional broadcast frequency, its studios are in the Panasonic Building in Southfield, and its transmitter site is near Newport. WWJ is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast in the HD Radio format, and is simulcast on an HD subchannel of sister station WXYT-FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928</span> United Kingdom law reforming the electoral system

The Representation of the People Act 1928 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This act expanded on the Representation of the People Act 1918 which had given some women the vote in Parliamentary elections for the first time after World War I. It is sometimes known as the Fifth Reform Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Litchfield Law School</span> United States historic place

The Litchfield Law School of Litchfield, Connecticut, was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietary school was unaffiliated with any college or university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James E. Scripps</span> American journalist

James Edmund Scripps was an American newspaper publisher and philanthropist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William C. Maybury</span> American politician

William Cotter Maybury was an American politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Mighty and Strong</span> Prophecy in Latter Day Saintism

The One Mighty and Strong is the subject of an 1832 prophecy by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. The prophecy echoes and parallels the words and prophecies contained in Isaiah 28:2 and Isaiah 11:11; 2 Nephi 3:21-25. The One Mighty and Strong was said by Smith to be one who would "set in order the house of God" and arrange for the "inheritances of the [Latter Day] Saints." Since the prophecy was proclaimed, many Latter Day Saints have claimed to be or to have otherwise identified the One Mighty and Strong. Some schismatic Latter Day Saint sects have arisen as a result of such claims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Miller (theologian)</span>

Samuel Miller was a Presbyterian theologian who taught at Princeton Theological Seminary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John M. Donaldson</span> American architect

John M. Donaldson was an American architect and artist born on January 17, 1854, in Stirling, Scotland. Donaldson was principal designer of the successful Detroit-based architectural firm Donaldson and Meier from 1880 onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Samuel Foley</span>

John Samuel Foley was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Detroit from 1888 until his death in 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reform movement (Upper Canada)</span> Political party in Canada

The Reform movement in Upper Canada was a political movement in British North America in the mid-19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William E. Quinby</span> American newspaper publisher and diplomat

William Emory Quinby was an American newspaper publisher and diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annie M. Knott</span> Christian Science practitioner and teacher

Annie MacMillan Knott was a practitioner and teacher in The First Church of Christ, Scientist. She was a student of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the religion, and served the church in various capacities including First Reader, Associate Editor of the Christian Science periodicals, member of the Bible Lesson Committee, one of the first women on the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, Trustee under the Will of Mary Baker Eddy, and the first woman to become a member of the Christian Science Board of Directors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. Augustus Straker</span> American lawyer and jurist

D. Augustus Straker was a teacher, lawyer, and jurist. He won elections to the South Carolina legislature but was denied his seat on multiple occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick K. Stearns</span>

Frederick Kimball Stearns was an American businessman who was the president of Frederick Stearns & Company, a pharmaceutical manufacturing business, from 1887 to 1921. He was also the organizer of the Detroit Orchestral Association, which later became the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, a trustee of the Detroit Museum of Art, and the owner of the Detroit Wolverines baseball team in the National League from 1885 to 1888.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1901 in Michigan</span> Year

Events from the year 1901 in Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1885 in Michigan</span> Year

Events from the year 1885 in Michigan.

References

  1. Andrea Cecil, "100-year-old time capsule opened in Detroit" Archived 2013-06-19 at the Wayback Machine Republished from the Kalamazoo Gazette (January 2, 2001). Retrieved August 13, 2013
  2. "Future Friday: Century Box Prophecies" Detroit Historical Society. Retrieved August 13, 2013
  3. 1 2 "Rise of Architecture in Detroit". Detroit Historical Society.
  4. 1 2 "Letter written by John Samuel Foley". Detroit Historical Society.
  5. 1 2 "Letter written by William C. Maybury". Detroit Historical Society.
  6. "Woman's Suffrage - Retrospect and Prophecy". Detroit Historical Society.
  7. 1 2 "Letter written by James E. Scripps". Detroit Historical Society.
  8. "Letter written by Orrin R. Baldwin". Detroit Historical Society.
  9. "Metropolitan Police Commission". Detroit Historical Society.
  10. "Letter written by Annie M. Knott". Detroit Historical Society.
  11. "Letter written by Charles L. Freer". Detroit Historical Society.
  12. "Real Estate Titles in Detroit, Past, Present and Future". Detroit Historical Society.
  13. "The Past, Present and Future of the Colored Race in Detroit". Detroit Historical Society.
  14. "The Growth of Manufacturing in Detroit During the Nineteenth Century". Detroit Historical Society.
  15. "Progress of Journalism in the Last Century". Detroit Historical Society.