Time Capsule: The Silver Chain - Trailer

The discovery of an abandoned safe deposit box at the Minnesota Historical Society reveals the hidden history of the Silver Chain Social Club, a clandestine 1970s swinger organization based in Bloomington, Minnesota. Through mimeographed newsletters and interviews with surviving members, the narrative uncovers a well-organized suburban subculture of over 100 couples who balanced family camping trips and community dances with private sexual liberation. While some former members remain guarded about their past, others describe the club as a transformative space for social connection and personal reinvention, particularly for women transitioning from dependency to independence. The investigation explores the tension between the club's strict secrecy and the eventual exposure of its activities, including illicit ventures like ecstasy manufacturing. Ultimately, these records serve as a time capsule for the "free love" era, questioning how a radical sexual underground functioned within a conservative Midwestern landscape and what its legacy means for subsequent generations.