Saturday, June 29, 2019, was a busy day at Wilcox Park in Westerly, with hundreds of people in attendance to witness the opening of a time capsule buried about 50 years ago in 1969. This capsule was constructed by Isaac G. Smith, a fellow Electric Boat employee. The capsule was unearthed on Friday, June 28, 2019, taking about 8 hours. Attached to 8 inches of concrete, it took shovels, picks, and a jackhammer to reach the stainless steel capsule and lift it from the ground.
Once out of the ground, the capsule was ready to be opened in front of the community. At Saturday’s event, the capsule was opened and its contents passed around and then laid out for all to see. An old phone book, past newspapers, photographs and an assortment of locally-produced items were among the artifacts unveiled. All of the artifacts are currently located in the Westerly Public Library. They will remain there until the end of the year, then they will be placed in permanent storage.
The time capsule ceremony was organized by the Town of Westerly 350th Anniversary Committee. The event successfully brought the community together to celebrate the town of Westerly, its people, and the history it holds. A new time capsule has been constructed by the future Electric Boat employees of the welding school at the Westerly Education Center, and will be buried September 28 in Wilcox Park. The new capsule will be opened in 2069.
Chris Green, current Electric Boat employee and co-chair of the time capsule subcommittee, grew up around the corner from the park and played there often. After her return home from the U.S. Army, she put a plan in place to be a part of this historic event. “I felt compelled to be a part of the history that also seemed to be a part of the fabric of my own life for the past 50 years,” she said.
