A time capsule that has been lurking under Dudley Square since 1922 was opened today. The small box, which had been found in the Annex of the Ferdinand Building, contained newspapers, furniture store advertisements, and other ephemera from 1922, including a transcript of the speech given by Mayor Michael Curley when the box was first buried.

Our Popular Mayor did the honors and presented the capsule's contents to State Representative Byron Rushing, who accepted on behalf of the Roxbury Historical Society. Other luminaries on hand included City Councillor Chuck Yancey and Representative Diane Wilkerson.

The Third Decade captured the moment:

The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd was disproportionate to the size of the actual time capsule. It was only a small black box, probably no bigger than a loaf of bread, but the idea of what might be inside captured the imaginations of everyone there. The ceremony featured about 20 minutes of speeches by the head of the BRA, the Mayor, and Representative Byron Rushing before the box was opened.

The Mayor wants your suggestions regarding what to load into the time capsule that will take its place. Price tag stickers, anyone?

[Globe; Third Decade]

Photo labeled "Bostonist" by Flickr user Derequito (a/k/a Third Decade)