Opening of Mt. Davidson time capsule from 1933 gives preserved look at SF history

ByKarina Nova KGO logo

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Mt. Davidson time capsule from 1933 gives preserved look at SF history

A time capsule that was buried at Mt. Davidson in 1933 was opened 90 years later and replaced with a new one from 2023.

MOUNT DAVIDSON, Calif. (KGO) -- Ninety years ago, in 1933, city officials and community members gathered at the top of Mt. Davidson to witness Boy Scouts of America Troop 88 bury a sealed copper box at the foot of the cross to commemorate the first Easter Sunrise Service held there.

VIDEO: Opening of Mt. Davidson time capsule from 1933

A time capsule that was buried at Mt. Davidson in 1933 will be opened 90 years later.

At the foot of the cross, that time capsule was unearthed on Saturday by San Francisco community members, including Mayor London Breed.

Some of the items discovered were a bible, cards, books, newsletters, and newspapers such as "The War Cry," The Municipal Record," "The San Francisco News," and a telephone directory.

In the phone directory, there were colored ads. "Some things never change," the moderator joked.

Also discovered was the "The Oakland Tribune" comics and an Easter edition of "San Francisco Chronicle"

The event was hosted by the Council of Armenian American Organizations of Northern California.

PREVIEW: 90-year-old time capsule unearthed, ready to open in San Francisco

Ninety years ago, in 1933, city officials and community members gathered at the top of Mt. Davidson to witness Boy Scouts of America Troop 88 bury a sealed copper box at the foot of the cross.

The troop recently celebrated its 100th anniversary and continues to meet regularly at the Forest Hill Clubhouse.

The San Francisco Historical Society will receive the unearthed items and prepare the items for archiving and display at its downtown San Francisco museum this summer.

Following the unearthing of the old time capsule, a new time capsule will be buried at the same spot.

"Mt. Davidson Cross is an important piece of history, not only for the Bay Area Armenian community who have served as the stewards of the cross since 1997, but to all San Franciscans. Not only do we unearth the buried items today but we're excited to place new items into the time capsule in hopes it will be opened a century from today! What a cool way to continue our longstanding history and place in the community, " said Kim Bardakian with Mt. Davidson Cross Armenian Council.

The Council of Armenian-American Organizations of Northern California (CAAONC) is a coalition of more than 30 Armenian-American organizations that purchased the Mt. Davidson Cross through a City of San Francisco public auction in 1997.

The sale was then approved by San Francisco voters. The CAAONC has renovated the cross and maintains it and the hilltop as an offer of thanks to San Francisco for becoming a safe haven for survivors of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government of the Ottoman Empire, 1915-1918.