Maeser Memorial Building cornerstone box collection

Karl G. Maeser Memorial Building

In 1907 Brigham Young University began its move from lower campus to upper campus when construction started on the Maeser Memorial Building.  The building was intended to recognize the university’s past by memorializing Karl G. Maeser and his contributions to the university while at the same time looking to the university’s future growth.  The building was opened to classwork in the fall of 1911.  In 1909, midway through the construction of the building, a time capsule was placed in one of the cornerstones of the Maeser Memorial Building.  The time capsule was a large copper box that contained items documenting the early history of the university.  The time capsule was removed from the Maeser Memorial Building in 1975 during the university’s centennial celebrations and its contents were placed in the University Archives.  The collection was assigned the call number UA 542 and titled the Maeser Building Cornerstone box collection, 1887-1909.  To access the finding aid for this collection click here.  Among the items in the collection are:

• copies of the White and Blue from 1904-1909
• scholarly works by early Brigham Young University faculty members
• copies of the Brigham Young Quarterly ( the early course catalogs) from 1887-1909
• a set of LDS scriptures and a hymnal
• a copy of the “BYU March” by Robert Sauer
• Flags and pennants

This collection is available for research in the Perry Special Collections (1130 HBLL) and is an important resource for understanding the early history of Brigham Young University.  If you would like to learn more about the sources available for studying the early history of the university, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .