Shawmut crew finds 85-year-old time capsule during demolition of historic McCoy Stadium

Pawtucket, RI A construction team led by Shawmut Design and Construction discovered an 85-year-old time capsule enclosed in the original cornerstone of the former McCoy Stadium during ongoing demolition to prepare the site for the new $326 million Pawtucket High School project.

Construction teams have worked during the demolition of the stadium after being alerted to the possibility that time capsules or other artifacts may be present in the historic home of the former Pawtucket Red Sox. The capsule was found last week and carefully removed from the cornerstone. It will be opened at a ceremony June 23, 2025, the 44th anniversary of the longest ever professional baseball game, which was played at McCoy Stadium.

Shawmut crews are continuing to work with extra care in the demolition of the stadium because former Pawtucket Red Sox management and players believe a second capsule with items commemorating the longest game may be buried somewhere between home plate and pitcher’s mound.

“The Shawmut team has approached the demolition of McCoy Stadium with the utmost safety and precision, balancing progress with a deep respect for the site’s historic significance and the potential to uncover meaningful artifacts,” said Chris Maury, head of preconstruction, New England Region / head of Rhode Island operations at Shawmut Design and Construction. “It was an exciting moment for our team to discover, identify, and carefully preserve the capsule found in the stadium’s original cornerstone. We’re continuing to search for the second rumored time capsule and have deployed ground-penetrating radar technology to support this effort. We remain committed to a safe, respectful process every step of the way.”

“We are excited to unveil the contents of this time capsule, and hopefully another rumored McCoy time capsule, at a ceremony honoring the stadium’s history on June 23, 2025,” said Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien.

According to a Pawtucket Times article, the capsule was placed into the cornerstone of the Hammond Pond Stadium on November 3, 1940, by Pawtucket Mayor Thomas McCoy as part of a cornerstone laying ceremony for the project.

“As someone who grew up next to McCoy and enjoyed so many Pawsox games and memories, I’m of course sad to see the stadium being demolished, but also thrilled that it will soon be home to our new Pawtucket High School,” said Pawtucket City Council president Terrence Mercer, whose District 3 includes the site. “I’m pleased that this time capsule has been found and preserved so it can be shared with future generations of Pawtucket residents as a reminder of the stadium’s proud history.”

Shawmut, a $2 billion national construction management firm, is leading the construction of the 375,000 square-foot new high school. The project represents the single largest school project in Rhode Island’s history. Once completed, the new campus will serve approximately 2,100 high school students, delivering cutting-edge academic facilities and community-focused spaces designed to meet the evolving needs of 21st-century learners.

Further details about the June 23rd time capsule unveiling event will be shared in the near future. The found time capsule is now being held in a secure location by the Pawtucket Police Department.