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David Nicholas: Construction workers in northeast Michigan hit something hard while they were digging into the ground this summer. It was a 1,000-pound safe from the 1920s.
Since the discovery, the entire Harrisville community has been dying to know what treasures may be hidden inside.
WCMU’s Emma George-Griffin traveled north to find out.
Emma George-Griffin: The Harrisville Lions Club sold hundreds of raffle tickets – whoever won got the mysterious contents of the old safe.
Last Sunday, around 400 people gathered at the local park to find out who won and what was inside.
This wasn’t an ordinary community event. It was an extravaganza. many people wore old-timey clothing and fun hats.
Gail McKenzie, from Harrisville wore a decorated sun hat.
Gail McKenzie: It’s my dreams of what might be in the safe... cash, gold coins and jewels.
EGG: The anticipation of discovering what was inside the box had everyone guessing. Sunday Wagner is an Alpena resident. Her guess was.
Sunday Wagner: Old papers... ledgers. I don't know by my other guess is liquor.
EGG: Her husband, Steve thought it was something a little more sinister.
Steve Wagner: I believe it's a member of the purple gang in there... they used to supply the booze from Canada to Al Capone in Chicago.
EGG: Other people didn’t have high hopes.
Dave Cook: I'm hoping there’s something in there.
EGG: That’s Dave Cook, the local attorney.
DC: Even if it's a couple of gold coins that'd be worth while… but, I don't know, I’m not very optimistic.
EGG: The main event began after a carriage, pulled by Clydesdale horses arrived with the host of the show, Ty Damon.
Ty Damon: Alcona County give yourselves a hand.
EGG: He’s a Harrisville resident, a member of local the Lions Club and the mastermind behind the event.
TD: Everybody here has come together to turn a pile of junk into $10,000 for local charities.
EGG: Throughout the crowd there were several characters, all taking part in a skit. The play tried to string together a potential story of what happened 100 years ago that led to the safe being stuck underground.
Cook, the attorney, was one of the play actors. He sat guarding the safe while holding a briefcase.
DC: I can’t give you my name, it's secret. But, they've sent me here to watch everything that goes on. And if there is anything in there, the IRS is to claim their share of it.
EGG: Before the safe crackers got to work, other characters began approaching Damon.
TD: Excuse me ma’am, who are you?
Cheryl Peterson: I’m Cheryl Peterson, a reporter from the Alcona County Review… back in 1923 Ladies Hat Shop burned down in a terrible fire.
EGG: The reporter, played by the modern-day publisher of the newspaper, speculated that the 1,000-pound safe belonged to the hat shop and fell through the rubble during the fire. Staying buried until the construction workers found it earlier this year.
After the scene was set, the locks and chains were removed from the safe.
Two men took off the back metal panel and began drilling through a thick layer of concrete.
A particle physicist from Michigan State University guided the men drilling through a very scientific process, which involved drilling, more drilling and some heavy-duty hammering.
After about 20 minutes, the men pulled out a metal box from the safe.
And inside was carbonated wood. Not exactly the treasure that Harrisville was hoping for, but for folks like Michelle Crumb, it was plenty.
Michelle Crumb : It’s so wonderful, this hometown event, everybody came, showed up… it was corny and cute. I mean, what’s not to love?
EGG: The horse-drawn carriage took the cast of characters back to town hall, while community members crowded the safe, inspecting it with their flashlights.
Because there wasn’t anything inside of the safe, the winner of the raffle got a different treasure chest filled with goodies donated by local businesses.
EGG: Damon says he’s glad the Lions Club made a fun event out of the decades-old box.
TD: From that... something that really had no value, we did a wonderful thing for the community and raised a lot of money.
EGG: He says more than $10,000 were raised and will be used to fund local scholarships and group homes.
Reporting from Harrisville, I’m Emma George-Griffin, WCMU News.
