Workers found a compartment on the underside that contained a sealed metal box holding historical documents, including an invitation to the cornerstone’s laying ceremony. The invitation came from the Good Samaritan’s building committee chairman and the city’s postmaster.

Underneath, four pages folded together tell the story of how Good Samaritan came to be, and its need to replace Wittenberg Hospital, which was struggling to serve the community’s needs.

“The hospital was begun and for many years has done its work in a frame building, to which two cottages were added, for nurses home,” the typewritten document reads. “In 1916 a campaign was put on for a new hospital. While the preliminary campaign in Nov. of that year was very successful, the financial conditions the following year, ensuing upon our entrance into the war, and the following economic conditions following the war precluded any further effort to build a more adequate building. In 1927, the Association decided to renew the campaign for a new building, the hospital having long since outgrown its quarters.”

City Administrator David Tuan said the time capsule contents were turned over to the city attorney for review, to see if there were documents the city needed for its records or that should be returned to the property owner. None of the documents had any legal value.

“It’s pretty fascinating,” Tuan said. “It plays a lot of similarities with what’s going on in the community right now, with the need for health care, growth of the town, limited funds. It was very interesting to know that history with the hospital before Mercy (Hospital) came along.”