Cummings Research Park. We probably have worked in one of the
business located here or know someone who has and we have certainly
cached in the park but what is the story behind the name and how
the park came to be….
Cumming Research Park is one of the world's leading science and
technology business parks. It makes up 3,843 Acres, holds over 285
businesses, 2nd largest research and technology park in the U.S,
4th largest in the world.
Milton Kyser Cummings was born in Gadsden, Alabama in 1911. At
the age of 4 he suffered a bone infection and had to have his leg
amputated just below the knee. Despite his handicap, with an
artificial leg he became an excellent tennis player, an avid golfer
and during and after WW II he gave demonstrations to amputees at
Army hospitals, nothing slowed him down.
While in school he worked running errands in a cotton brokerage
firm where his father was employed. The broker was impressed with
Cumming’s determination, intelligence and handicap
adjustments that he offered him a full scholarship to attend
college as he finished up high school at age 16. Cummings, feeling
obliged to help support his family declined the offer but asked for
employment in the brokerage firm. His father died a few years later
leaving Cummings responsible for the family while still a teenager.
He continued to worked thru the Great Depression at the brokerage
firm learning the business. The owner suddenly died leaving
Cummings $5000 and he used this money to start his own cotton
brokerage. Cummings became the most successful cotton merchant in
the city. He was known as an “honest broker”
In 1953 he got out of the business and invested in the stock
market and was very successful. In 1958 he took over the presidency
of a faltering Brown Engineering Company with much of his own
money. He built it into the largest machine shop in the south
serving the space program. Growing it from 215 employees to 3700
when he retired in 1966. He hired handicap, improved health care,
brought employment opportunities to Huntsville. He related to the
working class and knew most workers by name. He often expressed the
belief, “We are our brother’s keeper,” and so
conducted his personal life as well as his business activities.
Cummings was friends with Dr. Wernher von Braun and he had
suggested to Cummings that Huntsville needed a central research
park for the emerging space and defense industries. A large section
of former farmland was added the western edge of Huntsville,
adjacent to the developing campus of the University of Alabama
Huntsville Graduate Center (later to become the University of
Alabama in Huntsville) and near to Redstone Arsenal and Cummings
first purchased 150 acres reserving 80 for Brown Engineering (where
cache is located) and the other for businesses to purchase at cost.
Cummings and Brown Engineering’s Vice President Joseph Moquin
were heavily involved in securing the additional original 3000 acre
tract of land and persuaded Huntsville City Council to designate it
as the Huntsville Research Park.
Brown Engineering became the first occupant in the new park,
opening a large complex in early 1962, and was soon followed by
Lockheed, Northrop, Boeing, TRW, IBM.
In 1973, shortly after Cummings’ death, this was renamed the
Cummings Research Park and it was his successor Joseph Moquin who
was instrumental in getting the park renamed Cummings Research
Park. FYI There is a road named after Moquin within the park.
In 1982 another 800 acres were added to the Cummings Research
Park.
In 2012 the park will celebrate its 50th Anniversary.