Cummings Properties is proud to realize the renaissance of the now 2 million square foot former headquarters of United Shoe Machinery Corporation, a North Shore landmark since 1903. A top-to-bottom restorationhas transformed “The Shoe” into Cummings Center, a vibrant corporate campus ready to serve a new century of business.
Lease any size high quality Massachusetts office, laboratory or research space in this extraordinary complex.For more history of the Cummings Center, the United Shoe Machinery Corporation and Essex County refer to these links -

  • Cummings Center History

“Founded in 1899 by a merger of the supposedly noncompeting Goodyear Machinery Company, Consolidated Hand Lasting Machine Company, and McKay Shoe Machinery Company, United Shoe Machinery Company, as it was then known, revolutionized shoe equipment manufacturing and the shoe industry itself. Its establishment of an international division made it one of the first three international companies ever formed, and it became a worldwide powerhouse as affiliated companies were set up in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, South America, and Asia by 1905. The new company became United Shoe Machinery Corporation on May 1, 1905.”  Click this link to learn more.

  • Smithsonian Institution Research

Smithsonian Institution Research Information for the United Shoe Machinery Corporation Records, ca. 1899-1972. The Collection includes approximately 5,000 glass plate negatives (1909-1932) and 1.5 cu. ft. of safety negatives (1932-1960s) documenting different types and models of shoe-making machines produced by USMC. Other major records include a sampling of important research project files, scrapbooks concerning advances in shoe-making technology by USMC, company catalogs, and other items.  Click this link to learn more.

  • Essex Heritage

Explore the Industrial Trail of Essex County, including the United Shoe Machinery Co. Built in 1903-06, it is ranked among architectural historians as one of the most significant industrial landmarks in the country.  Click this link to learn more.

The Beverly Chamber of Commerce

Beverly Main Streets – mission is to promote and enhance Beverly’s downtown economic vitality, cultural and historic resources, and quality of life.

Beverly Home Coming – A tradition for decades