The items were placed in a cryogenic freeze chamber Friday and will remain for about a week. Document Reprocessors of Middlesex, N.Y., is drying them using a vacuum freeze-drying technique.

Initial reports indicate at least some of the then-state-of-the-art pouches seemed to have protected their contents.

"The overall condition of the items weathered very well," said Alberta Keppen of Document Reprocessors.

The items should be shipped back to Huntsville and put on public display, possibly around mid-February, said Mary Jane Caylor, executive director of the Huntsville Bicentennial Commission.

The contents were buried in 1955 when the city celebrated its 150th anniversary. They were unearthed last month as part of Huntsville's 200th anniversary celebration. Items include a 16mm film reel of the city's sesquicentennial events, population predictions from high school class presidents, school rolls, letters from community leaders to their future counterparts, and other letters, documents and artifacts.

The contents were sealed in envelope-like containers, placed in a vault and buried under the courthouse lawn in 1955. The bags dripped of mucky water when they were retrieved from the vault Jan. 20.

Bicentennial organizers accepted Document Reprocessors' offer to freeze-dry the material at no cost to the city. The company has a varied freeze-drying experience, including artifacts from the Titanic, water-damaged medical X-rays, books, blueprints and all kinds of records.

Caylor said any delay in publicly displaying the time capsule contents is worth it - given their historic value.

"I think it's an absolute plus this company has agreed to do it with their expertise and reputation," Caylor said Saturday.

She said officials at the New York lab reported some of contents were wet. Their condition won't be known until vacuum freeze-drying is complete.

The items will be put on public display at the historic Weeden House downtown.

Bicentennial organizers will hold a news conference this week to unveil an architects' rendering of a bicentennial fountain and family park planned for the corner of Williams Avenue and Fountain Row.

Caylor said the commission will kick off the next tier of fund-raising for the $1 million fountain and pavilion complex. Corporations and individuals will have a chance to buy columns, benches, plaques, sculptures of children playing and personalized bricks. Officials also will kick off the sale of bicentennial memorabilia such as T-shirts, mugs, hats and flags.

The city hopes to dedicate the water park Aug. 6, the final day of official bicentennial events.