It takes a community!

Lots of smiles when we printed recently at Cherry Creek High School with students and their families. Now we need your donation to help us open our Depot home to bring more smiles, more printing to the community. To achieve full occupancy and use of the Depot, we need $550,000 and we’ve already raised half that! The State Historical Fund has given us a grant for $250,000 to rehab more of the interior and our immediate goal is to raise $83,000 as a match for that grant. The Colorado Gives incentive program (now through December 10) is the perfect time to give us a special gift.

Your donations have already helped make it possible for us to accomplish construction milestones like a new eco-friendly HVAC system and electrical service.

Once we have this $83,000 match, we can: Fix the walls! Raise the floors for ADA access! Install plumbing! Repair plaster! Fix windows! Add fire safe doors!. We will be so much closer to opening the building, allowing people of all ages to participate in this historic art form. Please give before midnight December 10 to help us access the Colorado Gives incentive match.

Checks also welcome to PO Box 798, Englewood, Colorado 80151. Questions? email info@letterpressdepot.org or text 720-480-5358. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. And check out the most recent episode of the Hot off the Press Podcast to hear from our board members Jason Wedekind and Cara Jo Knapp about the Depot’s mission and how your donation will make an impact!

We can do this! Hop on Board!

Rendering of upper level of Depot - our vision of community, printing and exhibits.

We can make this vision a reality with you help and by thinking BIG!

And Colorado Gives (now through December 10) is the time for BIG thinking!

We want to open our doors so you can come print and see the wonder of letterpress, historic preservation and railroad history. But first, we need to finish rehabilitating the Depot. That’ll take another $550,000 …but wait! We already have almost half raised, thanks to the State Historical Fund, that has given us a grant of $250,000! Our goal is to raise $83,000 as a match for that grant as soon as we can. And then raise another $217,000 to get it all done!

CAN YOU DONATE A SPECIAL GIFT TO HELP US GET DOWN THE TRACKS?

Any questions/suggestions, email info@letterpressdepot.org or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X

LETTERPRESS DEPOT MEETS HOWDESIGNLIVE!

And a great time was had by all. We got to share our Reliance Washington Hand Press with the great designers attending HowDesignLive.

You’ll notice our sweet little Adana got some notice along with her big sister press! But that day, the hand press was our star (below with ace photographer/printmaker/printer Bryan Dahlberg)

And here’s who we —the Depot printers, trying hard to get our building on track to be open to the public. We have $280,000 to raise out of our $500,000 goal (thanks to the State Historical Fund for the major boost). Donations welcome. And any ideas of who else to ask, welcome!

Any questions, email info@letterpressdepot.org, call/text 720-480-5358. Follow us @letterpressdepot on Facebook and Instagram, @letpressdepot on X. And oh did I mention, you can donate now or during the five+ weeks of Colorado Gives “Day” November 1-December 10! THANK YOU!

975lb Press Goes Mobile!

On its way to HowDesignLive2024

We love our tabletop presses, but when the opportunity came to show off our Reliance Washington Hand Press at HowDesignLive2024, we couldn’t resist. It also was a great way to push forward our new capital campaign to raise another $335,000 towards our $550,000 goal of getting the Depot building open so all of you can come there to pull a print! It took many hands on deck to get this press ready for its adventure.

Board member/photographer/artist/designer Bryan Dahlberg has used the press to pull limited edition prints that he then marries with photography. He and Tom Parson put together the deconstructed press when it was acquired.

More on the history of the press below. But in case you’re anxious to help our campaign and want to know RIGHT NOW how to help, please donate here. The State Historical Fund has been invaluable in helping the Depot, but to finish construction and get the doors open for workshops and events, we also need you.

Rendering of the future top level of the Letterpress Depot

On the lower level, the Depot has two hand presses - one survived the SF earthquake!. The hand press evolved from wood to iron around 1800. Soon after, NY printer and grocer Samuel Rust patented some of the best ideas. He refused to sell out to his hated competitor, R. Hoe & Company, so Hoe had one of his employees tell Rust he also hated his boss and was setting up his own company. Rust gladly then sold him the patent and all his equipment for $3,000 and agreed to not compete for eight years. When the charade was revealed, Hoe took it all over and produced thousands of the model. (Rust went on to patent and sell lamps.)  When the press patents expired, several other companies started turning out Washington presses.

Thinking Big! And gaining steam to get us down the tracks.

For more intel, follow us @letterpressdepot on Facebook & Instagram, @letpress on X, email info@letterpressdepot.com or call/text 720-480-5358.

Summer's almost gone - but we're just starting!

What a way to end summer - by printing non stop at the Englewood Block Party…and at the Rocky Mountain Book & Paper Fair.

And by moving some old new presses and type into the Depot (check out that hanging press).

But we’ve only just begun! We just launched a capital campaign to help us get occupancy. With support from the State Historical Fund and individuals, we have raised over $200,000 towards our $550,000 goal. It sounds like a lot, but we are the little engine that could. We know we can! With everyone’s help, we can finish construction and open the doors. Your donation is an investment in the preservation of this historic building, the future of letterpress printing, book arts, and our continued community involvement. Donate at https://www.letterpressdepot.com/donate . All ABOARD!

If you know anyone who might want to donate, or if you have any questions, email us at info@letterpressdepot.com or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow us @letterpressdepot on Instagram and Facebook and @letpressdepot on X. Thank you!

Things are heating up!

Heat pump installation has begun at the Depot! It will be so nice to have heat this winter (and dare we hope AC as the temps go up?)  Donations helped us get a start on paying for this system.  THANK YOU. (We still do have a ways to go, so assistance  always welcome.) And while hese next pix may not throw sparks…

they are one of the last steps (we hope) to get the electricity working. To connect power from the Xcel pole to the building, we had to dig an almost 40 foot long, 2-3 foot deep trench for undergrounding the conduit. Thanks to Tom, Jason, Robert, Kirk, Bryan and Jasper for straining their muscles for the cause! Note the tool of choice - a pickax -in the first image. Now we’re hoping for the electrician to complete the circuit.

Meanwhile we’ve been printing at the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show. Some Scouts were there working on their merit badge in stamp collecting.  And other kids having fun too. Thanks to Marc, Tom and Patti for showing them how to get inky.

It’s spring at the Depot. If you can…spring…for any donations, go to https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/LetterpressDepot or click below.

For more info about any of our work, email us at info@letterpressdepot.com, or text 720-480-5358. Follow us @letterpressdepot on Instagram, Facebook and @letpressdepot on X.

What an ending to Month of Printmaking!

Photo by board member Bryan Dahlberg

Letterpress Depot printers Bryan Dahlberg, Marc Silberman and Tom Parson and volunteer Tim Vermeulian joined over 70 other makers at this year’s Small Press Fest. Note the mini-press in a box thatBryan used to print Jabberwocky on - he made that press himself!

Thanks to Bryan and Dave Laskowski III for capturing the scene. And to all who came to print with us! For more Depot intel, contact us at info@letterpressdepot.com or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow us on Facebook & Instagram (@letterpressdepot) and on X (@letpressdepot). See you somewhere!

Next up: Small Press Fest, Saturday, March 30

Letterpress Depot will be at Small Press Fest March 30th from 11-4 along with 70 zine, book, comic, print and other DIY makers at the Globeville Center. Our prints are still up this month at the wondrous Spectra Gallery. Thanks to everyone who came out to see us last week at Belleview Park and at all our Open Studios - from Englewood to Fort Collins! Here are just some pix of the inky fun.

Some more details: Globeville Center is at 44th and Grant; Spectra Gallery is at 1836 South Broadway. You can contact us at info@letterpressdepot.com or call 720-480-5358. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. See you somewhere!

Next Up: Belleview Park March 23 & Spectra Gallery

If you missed us at Arvade Center, come see us at the Spring Market in Belleview Park this coming Saturday, 10-2pm. And see our work on display the rest of March at Spectra Gallery (1836 S Broadway). If you haven’t been to Spectra and seen its immersive display, GO!

And here’s what you missed at Print Jam! Lots of people, lots of printing - Bryan Dahlberg on a mini etching press, LEGO (tm) printing conceived of by Dave Laskowski II and printed on an Adana by Jason Wedekind, Tom Parson on another Adana, and Marc Silberman on a Vandecook proof press. And note the mini press in a box made by Bryan too!

For more info, get in touch: info@letterpressdepot.com, 720-480-5358. And see you at the Spring Market!

Last year’s Spring Market

Five very different presses...see the ink fly

Come out of the snow to a warm celebration of printing. Letterpress Depot will have five presses in action at the Arvada Center, March 16, 11-4. You’ll see Bryan Dahlerg on his handmade mini press and 12" wide etching press turning out historic woodcut prints…. Tom Parson on an Adana, printing botanic images by L.W. Durrell from Colorado Adgricultural College (the precursor to CSU)… Dave Laskowski II printing from your LEGO(tm) designs… . And Marc Silberman giving you hands on fun with a variety of images.

Follow us: www. Letterpressdepot.com and @letterpressdepot on FB and IG, and @letpressdepot on X. Questions? info@letterpressdepot.com, 720-480-5358

"Print Jam" March 16---and a whole lot of other printing going on!

Four different presses, historic prints, plastic building blocks and even some Jabberwocky - all will be part of the Letterpress Depot’s demonstration and hands-on events at the Arvada Center March 16, 11-4. We promise you will see presses and printing you’ve probably never seen before! Mo’Print, the Month of Printmaking, has been a busy time for us. But as always, we’ve also made time for the schools. At Cherry Creek High School, we tried out LEGO(tm) printing, inspired by Depot board member Dave Laskowski II. (You’ll have a chance to do this with Dave at “Print Jam.”)

We also printed with the kids at Cherrelyn Elementary, and loaned press and type to Colorado’s Finest High School of Choice for their “Wanted” project.

Print Jam demonstration is in the Arvada Center’s Main Gallery, with hands-on fun in their History Museum. Other March events include the Spring Market, March 23 at Belleview Park, and the Small Press Fest, March 30 at Globeville Center. We look forward! If you need more details, info@letterpressdepot.com.

What a Year! Thanks for being part of it!

We have one more opportunity for those who would like to help us get heat in our 1915 railroad depot aka the Letterpress Depot. We are about to receive a generous check which we would like to use to match all donations received the rest of this month. (We already matched all the Colorado Gives donations). You can donate on our website or mail a check to us at Box 798, Englewood, CO 80151. For those who’ve already given/opened our emails/visited our website. Thank You!

2023 was a busy year (very hard to believe it’s almost over).

We printed at:

*5 schools

*5 fairs/events

*3 outdoor markets

* 2 Neighbor Nights at local parks

*2 private workshops

*1 block party

At the Depot, we completed:

*Replacement of more rotten structural beams

*Remediation of lead paint

*Removal of damaged plaster

*Installation of brick walkways

*Planting of trees and perennials

*Installation of a light pole for future electricity (and got the electrician to finally order parts he originally said he did over a year ago)

*  Receipt of 3 proposals for a heat transfer system.

We received printing donations & deals:

*Presses, rare wood type, useful metal type and type cases from Joanne Martin

* Type and more from Louise Padden/Evert Brown, David Ashley, Lexi O’Neill and Lonnie Peterson

*Adana presses used at all our outdoor events

Thank you for all you did to make this a busy year

For more information or to volunteer, please email us or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts.

TODAY. YES. TODAY!

Colorado Gives Day is here! Please donate to the Letterpress Depot, to help us bring heat into the building. Wouldn’t want our ink and fingers to freeze!

We know you’ve heard it before, and your inboxes and social are full of donation requests, but we’d really appreciate it if the Letterpress Depot made your “nice” list! We love to print with the community and we’d like a warm home to do it in!

If anyone wants to donate in a different way other than Colorado Gives, or to volunteer, please email us or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts. If you’ve already donated

Tomorrow. Annie sang about it, Shakespeare wrote about it

But for us at Letterpress Depot, it means Colorado Gives Day. It’s just one way to donate, but it makes us eligible for financial incentives. And helps us get heat into the building.

If anyone wants to donate in a different way other than Colorado Gives, or to volunteer, please email us or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts. If you’ve already donated

3... Pigs? Mice? Bags full? Nope, just 3 days left!

3 days to donate to the Depot via Colorado Gives … from today (Sun 12/2) to the actual Colorado Gives Day (Tues 12/5). We get incentive funding for all money raised this way. All funds go to heating the building.

Many thanks to all who have already donated. If anyone wants to donate in a different way other than Colorado Gives, or to volunteer, please email us or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts.

Fore? Four!

A different typeface for our countdown (we have thousands!) ,but the same message: Please donate! There are four days left to give to the Depot via Colorado Gives between today (Sat., Dec. 2) and Colorado Gives Day (Tues., Dec. 5). Of course, you can donate anytime (yes!), but this campaign gives us incentive funds based on the money we receive. This year the funds go towards getting heat into the building.

Many thanks to all who have already donated. If anyone wants to donate in a different way other than Colorado Gives, or to volunteer, please email us or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts.

Five!

5 alarm fire. 5 Olympic rings. 5 Great Lakes. 5 phases of matter… and 5 days to donate to Letterpress Depot via Colorado Gives. Colorado Gives Day is December 5, but any money given between now and then gets us incentive funding as well. We will use your donations to get heat into our building.

And we will keep printing

(Yes, we know it’s now X, but letterpress lasted longer than the little bird did)

Thank you to those who have already donated. If anyone wants to donate in a different way other than Colorado Gives, or to volunteer, email us or call/text 720-480-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts.

Six days!

Six days remain in this Colorado Gives Day campaign. Colorado Gives Day is December 5, but you can give now. We like money in any form, but anything you donate via Colorado Gives brings in incentive funds as well.

We look forward to having heat in the Depot … and doing more printing with you, inside and out.

If you want to donate in a different way other than Colorado Gives, or volunteer, email us or call/text 720-48-5358. Follow our website, facebook, Instagram and X posts. For those who already have donated, Thank you!

Countdown ..7 days remaining

If you give from now until December 5 via Colorado Gives, we get extra incentive $$. And you don’t have to live in Colorado!

Your donations have helped so much in getting the Depot to this point. Now all your donations this month (and through Colorado Gives) will go towards getting us heat! And remember

If you prefer other methods of donating, you can use our website, the mail (Box 798, Englewood CO 80151) or email or call/text (720-480-5358) to discuss. Follow us: Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Today's a good day to give!

A day made for donations! It’s not only Giving Tuesday, but we’re also counting down the last 8 days until the Colorado Gives Day campaign ends. Donating any day from now through December 5 to the Depot through Colorado Gives activates extra incentive funding.

Your donations will go towards getting heat into our building - it’s getting chilly in there! Once we have heat, we will be closer to having a home for workshops, tours, and school groups.

Any amount will help! We want to continue to be a community resource, saving our historic building, restoring old presses, printing new content, getting inky with everyone. Please join us!

Printed for the Depot by Jessica Spring, Springtide Press, Tacoma, WA (available for sale)

And if you’ve already donated…

Email , text or call (720-480-5358) with any questions about donations or printing. Follow us at www.letterpressdepot.com, @letterpressdepot on Facebook and Instagram and @letpressdepot on Twitter.