Brian LeMay, president of the Bostonian Society, speaks after the restored statues are revealed at the Old State House. PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA WIMLEY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Approximately 50 people crowded in front of the Old State House Sunday morning to observe the unveiling of the lion and unicorn statues, which were reinstalled atop the historic building after being removed for historians to examine the contents of a time capsule inside the lion.
Historians first learned about the time capsule in September from a 1901 article written by The Boston Globe. Since its discovery, experts have analyzed the capsule’s contents and have found photographs, autographs from prominent public figures and those in the U.S. Department of Defense at the time, Boston Herald electrotypes, letters describing the time period and campaign buttons.
“Two things occurred to us,” said Brian LeMay, executive director of the Bostonian Society. “One was… Everyone seemed to know what it [the Old State House] was, and that it was an important place. The other was that a time capsule that was in plain view for a hundred years intrigued people. Right there, it was inside of the lion that people walked by every single day, and we didn’t know it was there.”
The Bostonian Society has procured the 113-year-old items, which are now on display at the Old State House.
“They are statues,” said Joshua Young, 75, of Charlestown, chair of the Bostonian Society’s Board of Directors. “They are art. And they are symbols of the British Empire. So many years later, we are surrounded by so many other revolutions going on in the rest of the world.”
Among the items placed in the replacement capsule, the Bostonian Society approved a photograph of David Cameron, prime minister of the United Kingdom, and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick walking through the Boston Marathon memorial site, articles written by contemporary Bostonians, a bobble-head of Boston Red Sox First Baseman David Ortiz, an iPhone 5 and a marathon medal from the 2013 Boston Marathon.
Construction workers prepare to hoist the lion and unicorn statues to the top of the Old State House. PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA WIMLEY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The time capsule was placed inside the scroll, a part of the lion’s statue, with no plans to be opened – instead, the time capsule will be left until it is discovered by the public in the future.
“The cornerstone of our American democracy was here,” said Cynthia Malm, 55, of the North End, a member of the Bostonian Society’s Board of Directors. “The words were spoken here, not only by the British, but also by people who would become leaders of our nation. We are stepping into the timeline of history by being here today. [The Old State House building] has been knitted into the fabric of contemporary Boston.”
The original time capsule placed beneath the lion’s crown was extremely difficult to remove, so the Bostonian Society decided to place the 2014 replacement within the scroll of the statue, said Shannon Kelley Felton, 27, of Back Bay, head of communications and politics at the British Consulate General in Boston.
“First of all, it’s cool that a 100-year-old Boston legend was true,” Felton said. “It’s important for us to recognize that. Also, the building is kind of a living time capsule in the middle of the city. It’s a clear reflection of our history.”
Donald Tellalian, 78, of Newton, is a principal at Tellalian Associates Architects Planners, LLC, and has partaken in the rehabilitation of the historic Old State House building. As a contributor to the new time capsule, he wrote an article titled, “An Unfolding Story,” which delineates a brief history of the lion and unicorn statue as well as the original Armenian coppersmith. The article was placed in the new capsule.
“I am very impressed with the culture of Boston because it reflects on the issue of respect for its past,” Tellalian said. “These issues become quite popular to argue about. Just like 100 years ago, the newspapers argued, ‘We don’t want the lion and unicorn put up there. It’s a symbol of British rule.’”
Several residents of Boston were among the attendees of the unveiling ceremony and hoisting of the statues.
“We have never seen them from close,” said Danielle LaCaur, 40, of Back Bay. “To look at these beautiful things, the lion, the unicorn, it just felt like a very nice project this morning to go and honor [this very old building]. It’s really nice to have them there. To be all together and see that everyone has similar interests. We need little occasions like this to be together.”
Events such as the time capsule unveiling allow the public to continue their connection with Boston’s past, said James Byrne, 57, of Back Bay.
“It keeps us a little closer to our history,” he said. “Everything here is modern, so it’s nice to see something old.”
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