Treasures Uncovered During Hot Springs Time Capsule Opening

A large crowd of coworkers and community members gathered in the Mercy McAuley room at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs yesterday to watch history being unveiled as a 97-year-old time capsule was opened. The time capsule was recently discovered in the cornerstone of the former St. Joseph Hospital location when workers were preparing for demolition.

The first item removed from the box was a document, written in Latin, that was from the Vicar General of the Diocese and signed by priests from all over the country. Other items included in the time capsule were a telephone directory; a bill for $108,000 for the plumbing company that was contracted for the hospital’s plumbing, heating, ventilation and refrigeration; a deed; an issue of The Sentinel-Record and a page from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, both of which had articles about the hospital’s construction; a $1 silver note; lists of names of the Sisters of Mercy and student nurses; religious medallions; and various coins.

Michael Millard, CHI St. Vincent Market Director of Mission, told onlookers about how the Sisters of Mercy arrived in Hot Springs in 1888 with just $1 to open and operate a hospital, saying, “They showed up with $1 in their pocket to make it work. And guess what? They made it work, and they made it work really, really well. They set the foundation for what would become, now, 136 years of service to our community, and we’re just getting started.”

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs is working on plan to archive and permanently display the time capsule items at the hospital.