Nostalgia – Museum of Peter D. Erdman

The Nostalgia Collection brings together items that evoke past memories and sentiments. These pieces serve as reminders of bygone times, capturing the essence of familiar places, people, and experiences.

Photos

Rochester

Earlier Rochester

Modern Rochester

These photos show what some of the above buildings look like today.

Medical Sciences

Greater Rochester Area

Twin Cities

Technology

First Xerox machine

The Xerox 914, introduced in 1959, was the world's first commercially successful plain paper photocopier. This revolutionary machine transformed offices by making copying fast, easy, and affordable. Prior to its invention, copying documents was a cumbersome process involving carbon paper or messy mimeograph machines. The Xerox 914 used a groundbreaking xerographic process, where images were transferred onto plain paper using static electricity and toner. Its success marked the beginning of the modern era of office automation, and it became an iconic symbol of mid-20th century technological innovation. Despite its large size and occasional tendency to overheat, the Xerox 914 became an indispensable tool in businesses worldwide.