A century-old time capsule found in a Confederate statue dated to 1911 has been opened — unlocking details about Orlando's history in the early 1900s.

But now the group who put the capsule in the statue want it back, and may fight the city for it.

Confederate cash, flags and little pendants were all part of the items the ladies of the United Daughters of the Confederacy put in the box back in 1911.

The capsule was then placed inside a statue, "Johny Reb," when it was dedicated to the city of Orlando. The statue was installed at Lake Eola in 1917.  

On Tuesday morning, the time capsule was opened, unveiling, among other things, a silken-wool flag that was partly eaten by bugs, said Richard Forbes, Orlando's historic preservation officer.

Forbes says these items may not have lasted too much longer.

"With the box having a hole in it from rust," Forbes said, "I think the conditions would have worsened severely."

Now the United Daughters of the Confederacy say the documents belong to them, and they have filed a suit against the city asking for them back. 

"If they aren't going to put it back in the monument, then it's ours and we want it. We have a right to it," said Patricia Schnurr, member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. 

One of the more telling artifacts in the time capsule was newspapers, which local history enthusiasts said they hope will help tell a part of Orlando's history.  


Richard Forbes, the city's historic preservation officer, opened the capsule at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. (News 13 file photo)

The city said it will do all in its power to preserve and find out more about the capsule's contents, while also working to restore the Confederate statue at Greenwood Cemetery. They hope to have the statue installed in its new home by mid-September.

While Schnurr and the UDC fight with the city, local history buffs hope the artifacts don't get caught in the fray. They think these newspaper articles and documents may have more stories to tell. 

"The newspapers hold part of our history, where we can look back and verify some of our stories and verify some of our history. And that was amazing to me that the newspapers were in such good shape,"  Greenwood Cemetary Sexton Don Price said.