From Shoe Giant to Tech Hub: The History of Beverly's Cummings Center

Before it became the Cummings Center, this was the core of the United Shoe Machinery Corporation.

Formed in 1899, United Shoe Machinery built and leased the machines that powered the global shoe industry. Their model locked factories into long-term agreements, and by the early 20th century, most shoes made in the United States relied on their equipment.

Beverly was the center of that system. The company constructed a massive, unified manufacturing campus along the waterfront. Machine shops, foundries, assembly lines, testing rooms, and offices were all tied together. Rail lines fed directly into the complex. Finished machines shipped out worldwide.

At its peak, thousands worked here. The buildings were designed for scale and repetition. Long brick facades, consistent window grids, and interiors built for production flow. This was not a loose collection of factories. It was a coordinated industrial machine.

That level of control drew federal action. The government filed suit under the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1911. In 1918, the company was found to have monopolized the industry. A second major case led to a 1953 consent decree that forced changes to its leasing practices and opened the door to competitors.

The industry shifted anyway. Shoe manufacturing moved out of New England and then out of the country. Demand for United’s machinery dropped. Operations in Beverly scaled back through the mid-20th century.

The turning point came in 1970, when the complex was purchased by Bill and Joyce Cummings. Instead of breaking it up, they kept it intact and began converting the buildings into office, lab, and light industrial space. The result is what stands today.

The Cummings Center is now one of the largest office complexes in New England, with dozens of interconnected buildings and hundreds of tenants. The exterior still reads as early 20th century industry. Inside, it’s been reworked for modern use.