Shawmut Discovers Historic Time Capsule During McCoy Stadium Demolition for $326M Pawtucket High School Project

During the ongoing demolition of the former McCoy Stadium to prepare the site for the new Pawtucket High School, the construction team led by Shawmut uncovered a remarkable piece of the city’s history—an 85-year-old time capsule sealed within the stadium’s original cornerstone.

Crews have approached the demolition with great care after being alerted to the possibility of time capsules or other artifacts hidden within the historic ballpark. The capsule was discovered last week and carefully removed from the cornerstone. It will be opened during a community ceremony on June 23, 2025—the 44th anniversary of the conclusion of the longest professional baseball game ever played, which took place at McCoy Stadium.

Shawmut’s team continues to proceed with caution, as former Pawtucket Red Sox players and management believe a second capsule—containing memorabilia from that record-setting game—may be buried between the stadium’s former 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. “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 is leading construction of the new 375,000-square-foot high school—the largest school project in Rhode Island’s history. Once complete, the campus will serve approximately 2,100 students, providing cutting-edge academic spaces and community-focused facilities designed to meet the needs of 21st-century learners.