Taylorville, IL (WAND) –  Take a step back in time as the contents of a 1950s time capsule are now available for public viewing at Taylorville Memorial Hospital.

The contents will be in a display case inside the hospital’s main entrance and will be available for viewing throughout August.

Taylorville Memorial said in an Aug. 7 press release that an employee had discovered the capsule while cleaning the cornerstone for St. Vincent Memorial Hospital earlier this year.

The time capsule contains a history of the TMH’s precursor, St. Vincent Hospital, including photographs of the facility in 1940 and 1953.

Additionally, the capsule contains autographs of the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ and hospital personnel, issues of the Taylorville Breeze-Courier that announced plans for the new hospital and coverage of the groundbreaking ceremony, a program from the cornerstone ceremony, and more. 

Much of the original facility was torn down in 2020 and 2021, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of the hospital’s affiliation with Memorial Health.