On Thursday morning, history was dug up right in our own backyard, in Historic Riverside-Avondale.
Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole was there when the Memorial Park Association worked teamed up with the city of Jacksonville to excavate a capsule to help us learn more about World War I veterans from Florida.
"This box that is being unearthed here at the moment was put in the ground 100 years ago,” said Agnes Danciger.
Danciger is the immediate past president of the board of directors, and now a chairman for the governance committee for the Memorial Park Association.
The capsule consists of an outer box made of bronze and inner box made of lead.
Crew are getting closer, it’s presenting quite the challenge be for crews— but it’s REALLY in there. @JFRDJAX is here to help, too.They had to unearth the concrete first. Look at all of the layers. I drew an arrow so you can see the box they’re trying to retrieve. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/i8s3F2fYVT
— Courtney Cole (@CourtneyANJax) September 27, 2018
It contains a parchment scroll inscribed with ‘India Ink’ — with the name of 1,220 Florida veterans who died while serving in World War I.
"I’m really excited!" Danciger told Action News Jax.
The idea for the park was created on Nov. 12, 1981, by Rotarian, George Hardee. This was just one day after the Armistice, the end of World War I.
“Many people in Jacksonville don’t know it was built as a memorial and that’s exactly what it is,” Danciger said.
Memorial Park opened six years later on Dec. 25, 1924.
"There were hundreds of people, if not thousands — celebrating the dedication of this,” Danciger said.
The Memorial Park Association says they decided to work with the city to dig it up now as a way of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the park.
Once crews were able to remove the box, it was taken to the Museum of Science and History (MOSH) for closer observation.
One of the boxes was opened, but the second isn’t opened yet.
The Memorial Park Association told Action News Jax they’re planning to meet with some paper conservationists in St. Augustine, on Monday, to determine the condition of the scrolls.
Due to the level of water the park took on during Irma, there’s concern the safety and security of the boxes could be compromised.
They’re expecting to be able to put the names of the men and women up on the Memorial Park Associations website (MemParkJax.org) in coming weeks.
Cox Media Group
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