History
Family Owned and Committed to Excellence, Since 1935
“In a service industry, character matters. Luke T. and Barbara Cunningham built our firm on a foundation of professional integrity.”
West Side Hammer Electric, the company known today as a Lehigh Valley leader in the industry, began, humbly, during the height of the Great depression when a 24-year-old Luke T. Cunningham purchased West Side Electric for $1,000.00. Operating from a garage in the working class neighborhood of West Bethlehem, Luke T. and his wife Barbara set a solid foundation with a firm belief that good people achieve great results through high quality workmanship.
During the World War II era, our home wiring company quickly gained a solid reputation, opening doors throughout the Lehigh Valley to complete larger residential projects. As the Lehigh Valley grew, so did West Side Electric. We expanded into the commercial, industrial, institutional, and communication markets. Luke T.’s son, Luke P. took over the helm in 1977, and continued the company’s steady expansion.
In 1984, Luke P.’s son, Luke R. Cunningham, acquired R. L. Hammer Electric, and with the help of his brother Lee, expanded the company from a modest three-man operation with a residential focus, to a workforce of more than 35 employees by the year 2000. That same year, West Side Electrical Service, Inc. and R. L. Hammer Electric joined forces under the banner West Side Hammer Electric and, with a third generation of family leadership in place, a new era for the company began. Today, the majority of our work comes from our long list of loyal, satisfied clients, one that reads like a “Who’s Who” of the Corporate Lehigh Valley.
Through more than seven decades of family ownership, as the firm passed from father to son, to grandsons, commitment to excellence remains our guidepost, always holding true to our core values. Although we have never felt the need to be the biggest, we have always been determined to be the best. West Side Hammer Electric continues to grow and hold true to our philosophy.
To honor our founders and share our commitment to excellence with the Lehigh Valley community, in 2001 we established the Luke T. and Barbara Cunningham Scholarship Award Fund. Each year, the fund awards a $1,000.00 scholarship to the top graduate of the Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School. Together, we continue the journey to be the best and, hopefully we can inspire tomorrow’s leaders to hold the same values and beliefs instilled in our company since 1935.
