Norwegians from all over the area convened on Ballard's Leif Erikson Lodge June 7 to witness the opening of a time capsule recovered from the former site of the Norway Center.

The capsule was found by demolition crews at the Mountaineers Club, formerly the Norway Center, at 300 Third Ave. W. It was given to Russ Oberg, president of Leif Erikson Lodge, and Tom Stang, retired consul of the Royal Norwegian Consulate.

It was unclear whether the capsule was sealed during the 1950 dedication of the Norway Center or was transferred to the center from the 1915 dedication of the Norway Hall.

Before the capsule was opened, tribute was paid to the old Norway Center, which was sold to the Mountaineers Club in 1983, and was recently demolished.

"It was a beautiful building and held many happy memories," said Karin Gorud Scovill, representing the Daughters of Norway.

Stang said he drove by the site, now just a hole in the ground, and was overwhelmed, not necessarily by sadness, but by a lot of feelings.

"What most of my generation will remember about the center are the Saturday night dances," he said. "It was truly a center for young Norwegians in Seattle."

After struggles with the ancient welding drew chuckles from the crowd, the time capsule was opened with the aid of Doug Dixon from Pacific Fishermen in Ballard.

It contained news clippings from the 1950s, histories of the various Norwegian clubs and lodges in Seattle, programs from the Norwegian Males Chorus and documents from the dedication of the Norway Center.

Scovill said it was what one would expect to find in a time capsule – historic documents and things that wouldn't deteriorate.

"The paper seems to be in good shape, probably because it was sealed so well," she said, laughing at the black steel box that had so unwillingly surrendered its mysteries.

The capsule was opened June 7 due to its importance in Norwegian history. Norway dissolved its union with Sweden, becoming a separate nation, on June 7, 1905. The king of Norway fled to England during World War II on June 7, 1940 and returned to Norway June 7, 1945.