Time Capsule from 1905 Found in Old Marion (OH) Fire Station

The City of Marion Ohio Fire Department made the following Facebook posts May 25 and May 31:

May 25 – Recently we received word that the old Marion Fire Department Station No. 2 at West Center and Davids was to be demolished. The building is no longer owned by the city but current owner Ted Graham gave our members permission to remove the cornerstone for preservation.

Yesterday, a small group of off-duty firefighters began the removal process using hammers and chisels. Eventually we stopped, concluding that removal of the stone should be done under the watchful eye of an engineer to avoid injury.

But before we finished we made a discovery: a box was set inside the cornerstone! Firefighter Niles and Captain Redmon carefully removed the box from the sandstone cornerstone. It was the first time the box had seen light since 1905, 118 years! The box is approximately 8x4x4 and is made of copper, soldered shut to keep the elements out. There are definitely items inside, some can be heard rolling around and the box has some weight to it.


May 31 – Thank you to everyone who stopped downtown today to check out our station and the time capsule opening! With the help of a pair of tin snips we opened the box easily, and we were thrilled with the results.

Inside the box, very well preserved, were many items, including:

  • (9) turn of the century era Marion Fire Department badges.
  • The original lease for the property from the Marion Power Shovel to the City of Marion
  • An 1878 invitation from the Delphos Fire Department for the “Northwestern Ohio Volunteer Fireman’s Association Fireman’s Games”
  • A roster of 1905 City Officials
  • 4 Marion Daily Star Newspapers from July of 1905
  • A contract from 1905 between the City of Marion and James B Luke to build the Fire Station
  • An agenda from the Second Annual Marion Fire Department Ball dated April 24, 1905
  • A letter from Chief McFarland stating that the cornerstone was set on July 20th, 1905 and containing the names of the firemen employed at the 2 stations and the Huber Manufacturing Company Fire Department
  • A 1905 brochure that lists all the products the Marion Power Shovel manufactured at that time
  • (2) rosters stating the members of Hose Company 1 and Hose Company 2
  • A copy of the 1905 Merit Systems Rules- Containing rules for promotion and hiring of Firefighters

What an amazing find! These items will be kept at the Marion County Historical Society while our new Station No. 1 is constructed and then eventually placed there in a display case.

Campbellton (FL) VFD Celebrates First New Fire Truck in 54 Years

A $287,000 USDA grant funded most of the Campbellton fire truck; an additional $2,300 was raised to obtain it.
LAFD SUV in the ocean

Los Angeles (CA) FD Firefighter, Vehicle Swept Into Ocean During Mudslides

A Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle was pushed into the ocean as heavy rains sent debris across several roadways.