Bulkley Valley District Hospital health service administrator Cormac Hikisch may have stumbled upon a piece of history that was nearly forgotten.
During a Centennial homecoming week barbecue at BVDH, Hikisch made a plea for members of the public to come forward with any information they may have about a time capsule he believes was sealed inside the building’s cornerstone in 1933.
Hikisch came upon the information about the time capsule as he was reading the book, Caring and Compassion: A History of the Sisters of St. Ann in Health Care in British Columbia which discussed the construction of the hospital.
The book went into detail about the ceremonial laying of a cornerstone, “an event that the Sisters, the citizens of Smithers and the surrounding area, and all the workers and officials involved in the building eagerly anticipated.”
“The historical importance of this occasion led the Sisters to consider what to include in the cornerstone. A copper box measuring three by 10 inches contained an official record of the proceedings; a copy of the October 25, 1933, edition of the Smithers newspaper, The Interior News; sacred medals and pictures; postcards of Smithers and the Catholic church; as well as current coins and bills. This copper box was inserted into the middle of the 18 by 24-inch cornerstone bearing a cross in each corner and the inscription:
J.M.J.A.
PRO DEO ET HUMANITATE
BULKLEY VALLEY DISTRICT HOSPITAL
ERECTED 1933”
After reading the passage, it struck Hikisch — he had been carting around this cornerstone around for months, trying to find a suitable location to display it.
“In the book there was an image of what was actually laid out on the cornerstone,” he said. “I went, oh my goodness! I had been moving that cornerstone around to various places in the hospital not sure what to do with it.”
Prior to the barbecue, Hikisch attempted to have the cornerstone x-rayed to see if there was indeed a copper box within. Unfortunately, the right equipment wasn’t available.
“The x-ray will tell the truth, if I can ever get a good x-ray,” Hikisch said.
Those in attendance at the barbecue were asked to vote on what should be done with the time capsule if found and when it should be opened. The overwhelming sentiment was to wait until October, 2033 to crack open the piece of history.
Hikisch is urging people in the community with knowledge about the cornerstone and the time capsule to contact him. He would also like anyone with hospital artifacts to consider donating them to the BVDH so they can be put on display.