33 Litchfield Street
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By 1900, properties had been developed at 20 and 33 Litchfield Street, and James Cunningham, Son & Co. was the largest employer in Rochester.
The carriages were known for their quality, so it was no surprise that a Cunningham hearse was secured for Susan B. Anthony’s funeral. In 1907-08, Cunningham transitioned to the manufacture of automobiles. They never entered the mass production market, but they were well-known for their high-end quality and custom design work. Publisher William Randolph Hearst and actress Mary Pickford were among those who could afford to own (and show off) a Cunningham motor car. During World War I and II, the company expanded its products to include ambulances, armored vehicles and tanks, and even an experimental airplane that could fly 110 miles per hour. As the twentieth century progressed, the company moved some of its production outside the city, and by the 1960s production here had ceased. The historic building at 33 Litchfield had been empty for several decades when DePaul acquired it recently. After an extensive rehabilitation, the building re-opened with affordable and mid-rate market lofts in 2014. The lobby features a restored Cunningham motor car. |