Buried Treasure for a Later Generation

On Tuesday, a time capsule was installed in the lobby of the newly renovated Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. District Courthouse in downtown St. Paul.  The building will reopen to the public on September 15 after a three-year, $70 million renovation project.

Among the items interred include:

• A BlackBerry smartphone
• 2008 election paraphernalia
• Biographies of federal judges and other noteworthy Minnesotans
• Photographs
• News stories
• A map of Great Britain hand-drawn by former U.S. Supreme Court chief justice Warren Burger

The building's nine federal courtrooms have been remodeled and four new courtrooms have been added. The heating and air conditioning systems were replaced. The Saint Paul building's exterior and interior have had facelifts, among other improvements.

The time capsule is scheduled to be opened in the 2067, which is the courthouse's centennial. A plaque will be placed on another wall in the lobby so that future generations don't forget it's there.