During the 1984 library renovation, the original 1956 time capsule was almost lost. Maintenance workers, Luther Williams and Eddie Amos, placed the time capsule into the wall, under the tile close to the entrance in 1956 when the then new library was dedicated. The time capsule’s location was only known to a few, and not marked in any form. Had it not been for Williams, the time capsule and all of the memorabilia may have been lost.
In 1983, during library renovation, Williams recalled the time capsule and asked if they had found it. He contacted administration and let them know exactly where to look for the time capsule. When Williams was sent to look for it, the foyer had already been removed and none of the construction workers remembered seeing it. Many figured that the time capsule had been lost.
A construction worker found the time capsule days later when he was examining a plumbing duct.
Tarleton Librarian at the time, Dr. Kenneth Jones, examined the contents of the time capsule. They included pictures of campus life, movie reels of the campus, architectural plans of the library and several other buildings, a yearbook, a calendar, and several letters written by members of the Tarleton faculty and administration to future generations.
After the 2006 library renovation was completed, contents were added to the time capsule, and it was placed back into the entry way of the library. "In order not to repeat 1984, the time capsule will be resealed, but this time it will be well-marked," said Donna Savage, University Librarian.
"These artifacts from 1956, 1984, and 2006 represent the evolution from Tarleton State College to Tarleton State University, and will capture the past and the present for the next generation," said Savage. The capsule will be reopened in 2056.