CAMERAS, CARS AND COSMO WEB PAGE
Everyone knows that Rochester was once the camera manufacturing center of the world. In the late 1800s there were more than half a dozen camera manufacturers in Rochester and some of them were even outselling Kodak.
What many people are not aware of is that Rochester was also home to many other businesses. Automobiles like the Cunningham, Foster, Gearless, Trebert, Selden, and Mora were built in and around Rochester. Rochester based Curtice Foods was a leader in canned goods during 1800s and early 1900s. Rochester was the city where the first time clock was invented and assembled.
Not all Rochester businesses were involved in making things. The numerous correspondence schools that called Rochester home offered to train you in everything from how to become a railroad mail clerk to how to design women’s clothes. Rochester also had more than its share of publishers. Cosmopolitan Magazine began in Rochester and it has quite a story behind it.
Rochester was also the home base for many quacks and frauds who marketed drugs that could cure you of malaria, tuberculosis, Bright’s disease and whatever else ailed you.
Cameras, Cars and Cosmo explores the history of Rochester businesses through old advertisements and other materials. Cameras, Cars and Cosmo is available in paperback and on enhanced compact disc. The paperback version contains hundreds of old images and background stories about the businesses that made Rochester the manufacturing and business center it was up until recent years.
The enhanced compact disk includes over 2500 images and bonus material including a picture tour of Rochester during the early 1900s.
You may order the Camera’s, Cars and Cosmo as a printed book, or as a compact disk, or a package of both. To order the paper book, please continue on this page, To order the compact disk go to the next selection. To order both, go to the second selection.
To request an excerpt email david@laughingcatbooks.com
