Featured Old wood souvenir box?

Found this today for super cheap. I have no idea what it is. Maybe a family history of some sort?

The top is a carved floral design. The four sides read Mexico, California, Minnesota, and New Jersey ("Nem Jersey"?). The bottom says "from 1894."

Inside, it's metal lined and has a collection of old metal pieces. The lid is similarly inscribed with "from the scaffolding of the old state house." ...Huh??

Any leads on this bit of a mystery are appreciated!

 

Very cool.

 

Very cool! Here's the back of that button, which I guess looks quite old to me, but whether that's 100 years or 250, not sure.

 

I stopped at the Archway in Kearney Nebraska once. It is a museum of cross country travel that straddles the freeway. My impression is that cross country travel in automobiles didn't start until the early 1900's.

 

When there was a road. 1913.

https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org

Debora

 

What state did you find it in?

Debora

 

Oregon

 

So the first two Oregon State Houses were destroyed by fire in 1855 and 1935 and rebuilt from 1936-1938. That would confirm not local as dates aren't a fit.

Debora

 

The carved flower looks to be a forget-me-not which would make sense with the names on the side . A box for memories.

 

Ah! Cool!

 

Mexico, California, Minnesota, and New Jersey -- an odd group of locations. Perhaps done by a railroad man.

Debora

 

That's a good idea! I was wondering if perhaps family members, like say grandparents, had come from those respective places, and this box was a way of commemorating them...??

My hope was that there was some sort of tradition of boxes like this, with some common characteristics that I could use to better ID this one, but maybe this is just a unique item.

Im guessing the metal balls are 19th century firearm ammo? Does that look right?

 

Impossible, I'd think, to determine exactly why those four locations but... adds to the box's romance, no?

Debora

 

It certainly does! Thank you for the help!

 

That would make a lot of sense as the carving has a distinctly Black Forest look to it.