Mrs. Latimer Tourist Home
Photo of the Latimer Funeral Director Incorporation Home at Clarissa st. Roc. NY. (date unknown)
Sanborn Map of 983 S. Plymouth Avenue, Rochester (Vol.4, 1912, Section 425, Image 56) Known Name(s)
Mrs. M. E. Latimer () Mrs. Latimer () Mrs. Latimer () Mrs. Latimer Tourist Home ()
Address
191 Clarissa St. Rochester, NY (1939, 1940)179 Clarissa St. Rochester, NY (1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953)176 Clarissa St. Rochester, NY (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)983 S. Playmouth Avenue Rochester, NY (1961)
Establishment Type(s)
Tourist Home, Funeral Home
Description
Mrs. Latimer’s tourist home at 983 S. Plymouth Ave was built in 1900 as a residential dwelling in the Colonial Revival style. It has a wooden framed structure, with two and a half floors on the main building, and four additions. The addition on the northeastern side of the house is single story, with a shingle roof. The addition to the front of the building, facing southeast, is also single story with a shingled roof, The third addition, at the back of the main building on the western side of the house, is single story with a shingled roof. There is one additional building owned by the Latimers at 983 S. Plymouth, a 1 ½-story brick construction garage, with some wooden framing.
Detailed History
Millard E. Latimer was the first African American graduate of the Syracuse School of Embalming. In 1934, his wife Lydia M. also became a licensed undertaker. Their first business was located at 179 Clarissa Street. In the late 1950s, Millard held an appeal with the Zoning Board of Appeals to operate a new funeral home at 983 Plymouth Ave S. In 1963, their business was incorporated and renamed “Millard E. Latimer & Son Funeral Directors Inc.” The Latimer Funeral Home is Rochester’s longest established African American business, operating for 100 years as of 2022. Information about the Latimers also running a tourist home out of their funeral homes is unknown.
