During the 20th century, Oneida Ltd. produced silverware that found its way to tables all over the world. Before becoming a household name, Oneida Ltd. began as a business of the Oneida Community. Inspired by their radical roots, descendants of the Community created a company that prioritized people alongside profit. Oneida Ltd.'s success was fueled by innovation, a commitment to quality products, and fostering a genuine community among its employees through good wages, working conditions, benefits, and recreational programs.
This collection of 16mm film reels chronicles life in and around Oneida Ltd. throughout the twentieth century. It gives a rare glimpse inside the company with promotional product videos, factory footage, and an interview with CEO and Oneida Community descendant, Pete Noyes. It also documents the recreational activities Onedia Ltd. provided: ice skating events, golf tournaments, fishing derbies, sailing regattas, baseball games, and more.
These film reels were deposited into the Oneida Ltd. headquarters and forgotten about for decades. They were subsequently abandoned after Oneida Ltd. went bankrupt in the early 2000s. In 2014, they were discovered by Oneida Community Mansion House staff. Today, they have been digitized and are able to be viewed for the first time in many years.
