012225...R MASOLEUM 1...Warren...01-22-25...Savannah Moss, TC Historical Society Collections & Research Manager, left, and TC Historical Society Archivist Kate Pfouts look at information on Savannah's phone concerning the location of a time capsule placed inside the Western Reserve Mausoleum many years ago...The time capsule wasn't located today...by R. Michael Semple

WARREN — Al Capone’s vaults might have a spiritual cousin in the Western Reserve Mausoleum.

The Trumbull County Historical Society’s quest to uncover a rumored 1938 time capsule ended not with dramatic discoveries, but with an empty crypt and cold marble.

“It’s a bit like chasing a ghost,” said Savannah Moss, the society’s collections and research manager, as workers carefully removed the crypt’s marble front. “We had high hopes, but history isn’t always as cooperative as we’d like.”

The story began with a June 30, 1938, newspaper article detailing plans to place “contemporary items” from the era, possibly even records from Trumbull County pioneers, into the mausoleum as part of the Western Reserve Historical Celebration.

But when Moss and her team followed the breadcrumbs, the trail ended somewhere between historical intrigue and a game of marble Jenga.

With permission secured from city officials and assistance from the Warren Marble & Granite Monument Co., Moss and her team braved the chilly January weather on Wednesday to uncover the truth.

Randy Miller, co-owner of the company, said he hadn’t set foot in the mausoleum in more than 35 years, but was game to try his hand at uncovering history.

“We don’t get calls like this very often,” Miller said. “It’s not every day someone asks you to open a crypt for a potential time capsule. It’s like something out of a movie, minus the treasure.”

Armed with suction cups and wooden blocks, the team pried open the crypt, only to find… nothing. No time capsule, no mysterious glass-encased documents.

The discovery, or lack thereof, left Moss philosophical.

“History is ongoing,” she said. “Even when we don’t find what we’re looking for, it sparks curiosity and brings people together. That’s what matters.”

The effort wasn’t entirely in vain. The search brought together local history buffs all eager to uncover the secrets of the past. And for a moment, everyone could imagine what might be inside — diaries of early pioneers, vintage coins, or even a dusty fedora worn by a gangster wannabe.

The failed time capsule hunt inspires memories of journalist Geraldo Rivera’s infamous 1986 live broadcast of the opening of Capone’s vault, which similarly ended with empty shelves.

The mausoleum, built in 1929, remains a stunning piece of architectural history in its own right.

For now, the mausoleum keeps its secrets. And for Moss and her team, the hunt continues, fueled by the endless possibilities of what lies just beneath the surface.