Hi, Listers, I am writing this mostly for the benefit of those who may not now live in central New York. Maybe they do not realize what has happened. Usually we think of history as things that happened long ago, that took place before we were born. We here have one of the great historical stories of Madison/Oneida Counties, and we are in on the final chapter. In 2004 management announced the demise of the world famous "Oneida Limited", producers of high quality silverware. The name will go on under different management. And the SILVERWARE FACTORY WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS. Sherrill without a silverware factory ! It can't be ! Will the sun rise tomorrow? As far back as I can remember in the 1920's I awoke in the morning to the sound of the OCL factory whistle announcing the start of the work day, and the exodus from Oneida and surrounding area by hundreds of people. Our neighbors from East Walnut street walked past our house to catch the trolley cars on the corner of Main & Walnut to go via "third rail" to the main factory in Sherrill and the knife plant in Kenwood. Just think of this great historical story. In the mid 1850's Old John Humphrey Noyes lead his group of "Perfectionists" from Vermont to establish the world famous Oneida Community astraddle Oneida Creek in Madison and Oneida Counties. It was one of the most successful social experiments of the times. As part of their religion, they practiced a highly contoversial system embracing such concepts as "plural marriage", "scientific breeding", "male continence", communal rearing of children, and a totally communistic socio-economic system. Originally an agricultural community it adapted through the decades to changing times, going from farming to different businesses according to the demands of a changing world economy. In hard times it had the farm to fall back on. For 150 years it remained successful. But the end is here and now. Lots of books and other information has been written about the Oneida Community. Here, I just wanted to remind you that we are alive to see the end of the chapter of one of the great stories of central New York. The name "Oneida Ltd." will go on, with products manufactured probably in foreign countries, but "The Community" with its hundreds of jobs as we have known it died with the factory closing and sale of the business. Chas P.S. Originally known as Oneida Community, the name was changed to "Oneida Community Ltd."(OCL) and finally to "Oneida Ltd."