A Trip Back in Time

No matter its size, the role of a hospital in any community cannot be overstated. It’s where the vast majority of townspeople will take their first breath and where many will draw their last. From panicked visits to the emergency room to routine checkups and screenings, visits to the hospital are part of every person’s life.

Photographs and other memorabilia found inside a 1980s-era time capsule that was placed behind the cornerstone of the old St. Mary’s Hospital building on Kabel Avenue in Rhinelander.
(Photo by Heather Schaefer/River News)

On Feb. 3, Rhinelander Aspirus Hospital invited the Rhinelander public to attend a special ceremony where a 1980s-era time capsule, buried behind the cornerstone of the old hospital building on Kabel Avenue, was opened.

Fittingly, maintenance worker Jerry Hirman, with assistance from Peggy Kaczmarek, did the honors, retrieving the rosaries, photos, coins, medallions and other treasured items placed in the metal canister for safekeeping several decades ago.

According to Aspirus Community Engagement Coordinator Matt Thompson, it was Hirman, a longtime employee, who let hospital leadership know there was a time capsule in the old building behind the 1983 cornerstone.

Fortunately, the new owner of the Kabel Avenue property agreed to allow Aspirus officials to retrieve the valuable piece of history.

Pictured are rosaries and other items placed in a 1980s-era time capsule placed behind the cornerstone of the former St. Mary’s Hospital on Kabel Avenue in Rhinelander. The time capsule was opened on Feb. 3.
(Photo by Heather Schaefer/River News)

Having participated in one other time capsule ceremony, Thompson said he knew immediately that the community should be invited to participate in this unveiling.

“The minute I found out there was a time capsule there, we knew we wanted to put together something special,” he said.

“You kind of have a good idea that there’s going to be some really neat artifacts in there and the history of health care in Rhinelander dates back to the late 1800s (when lumberjacks would pay an annual fee for health care) and so it’s really cool to see some of those old artifacts come to life here, because folks in Rhinelander really appreciate health care and the history of health care here. They’ve been very dedicated to following the history from the time that it was the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother (a group of nuns who established the original St. Mary’s Hospital in the 1890s) to Ministry Health Care and now Aspirus Health.”

A scroll featuring the signatures of the employees who were working at the hospital at the time the capsule was buried.
(Photo by Heather Schaefer/River News)

In addition to the medallions and rosaries, which Thompson said are traditional for time capsules associated with Catholic health care, one item that stood out was a long scroll which featured the signatures of those who were working at the hospital when the canister was buried. 

“It was one of the coolest things I’ve seen,” he said, adding that he was also struck by a handwritten note found in the capsule, addressed to the hospital’s future leaders, expressing confidence that they will continue to ensure the local standard of health care continues.

“That really stood out to me because that’s what Aspirus is trying to do as well.”

“It’s really important to never forget the past, because those folks have built the foundation of what health care is in Rhinelander,” he added.

Aspirus North Regional President Teri Theiler said hospital officials had hoped Sr. Lois Bush of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother would be able to attend the unveiling but she was unable to travel due to inclement weather. 

Thompson said Bush and an archivist will review the items and anything the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother do not wish to keep will be preserved.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].