Signed, Sealed and Delivered

So many lovely/loving cards! So much fun at our very successful fundraising Valentine printing event.

It was hosted by Depot president Jason Wedekind of Genghis Kern and Depot board member Cara Jo Knapp of KnappDesignCo

With their help, and with Depot printers Tom Parson and Ian Van Mater (and with Bryan Dahlberg documenting it all), the guests printed their one-of-a-kinds cards. Here are just a few…

And also signed..sealed…our grant from the State Historical Fund! Their support is so important, and so is the 25% match we were able to raise from our donors. Thank you! Now major rehab work can continue on the upper historical level.  To get the rooms empty so our contractors can work, we have a storage pod in place (any strong arms want to volunteer to help with the move? Email info@letterpressdepot.org)

We truly are grateful for the $83,000 raised. But we still have a ways to go to reach our capital campaign goal so we can get the whole building finished and open for you. We always appreciate your donations. Any questions, call/text 720-480-5358 or write info@letterpressdepot.org

Watch for a printing event around St. Patrick’s Day!

Depot year in pictures

We were excited to see so many of you at printing events this year. And we were touched by how many of you also donated to help us get our Depot home in shape for occupancy. Thank you. You still have a few minutes to make a 2024 donation (although of course we will happily accept them in 2025 as well😉). As always, we are grateful to the State Historical Fund for believing in and supporting our project.

See you in 2025! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and NEW** on BlueSky. Email info@letterpressdepot.org or call/text 720-4805358 anytime.

It's the Day!

We’ve raised $52,000 of the $83,000 needed to match our wonderful State Historical Fund grant. (And with that grant and our great supporters we’re almost 60% towards our capital campaign goal!) Special gifts appreciated, but very dollar helps. Thank you!

Santa says: We've been nice!

Nice enough for gifts to be sent to Letterpress Depot through Colorado Gives!

We are making great progress - so far we have raised over $45,000 of the $83,000 we need in order to access a new major grant from the State Historical Grant. The Colorado Gives special matching initiative ends December 10 (clock’s ticking!) but we can receive tax deductable donations any time in any way that works for you.

While getting our Depot home ready, we've been making a difference in the community by introducing kids to the fascinating world of letterpress printing. Just recently, we were at Cherry Creek schools and then, donning Elf hats, we printed with Santa at the Englewood Civic Center. Your support will be instrumental in opening our doors to the public and furthering our “Preservation through Education” mission: keeping letterpress and the book arts alive in this increasingly digital age.

Questions? Suggestions for major gifts? Call/text us at 720-480-5358 or email info@letterpressdepot.org

5 REASONS WHY WE PRINTERS CARE ABOUT A RR DEPOT

And why we are asking for your help during Colorado Gives & beyond…

#1 It started as just being pragmatic – we know of too many community print shops and museums forced to move from their rented spaces; we wanted to find a home for our living letterpress museum that we could own, in every sense of the word.

#2  We then fell in love with the  1915 Englewood Depot and the fact it’s only one of two remaining Mission Style Santa Fe Railroad buildings in the country.

#3  There’s a lot of synergy between our depot and letterpress— they share a time period of glory, an historic legacy and artistic overlap. Railroads and letterpress printing both played large roles in the history of the West. And they both use very heavy equipment!

#4  We believe the way to preserve the legacy and the history of type is to use it, to bring traditional knowledge into the 21st century imagination. The same applies to a building. It is only brought to life by adaptive and creative re-use, while remembering its past.

#5  Besides preserving traditional printing and an iconic building, we also have become the home for the presses and typefaces once used by Colorado and other printers who have retired or passed away. They live on in the Depot.

 So our goal is to raise the needed funds to get the living letterpress museum opened in this rehabilitated railroad depot. Then we can welcome you all in for workshops, demonstrations, exhibits and events. Help bring the building alive so our living letterpress museum can truly come alive!

We have $50,000  to go to provide the $83,000 needed for our State Historical Fund grant. Then another $217,000 to help us get complete rehab done! Every dollar helps. And special gifts help especially! Colorado Gives goes through December 10. Let’s see how much we can raise by then!

Intertype used at the Denver Post back in the day! Press pictures by Bryan Dahlberg

Any questions or thoughts on where we might seek more funding, call/text 720-480-5358 or email info@letterpressdepot.org. THANK YOU!

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!

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!

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

"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.

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.

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.

Turn up the heat (quite literally) at the Depot... by donating!

Your donation to Colorado Gives now through December 5 will be put toward bringing heat to the Depot. Without heat, we are stopped in our tracks. We have bids for a sustainable heat pump system, but need to raise funds to pay for it.

We have been keeping busy around town - printing at MileHiCon and at Creative Mornings. And our contractors have started putting the historic beadboard into one of the Depot bathrooms

But with your help, there’s much more to be done. Please give via Colorado Gives now through December 5. Or via our website. Or mail us a check to Box 798, Englewood CO 80151. . Or call 720-480-5358 for other ways to give. You don’t have to live in Colorado to donate. Anyway you give will warm our hearts (and all other body parts).

WE APPRECIATE YOU!

Ticking down to Colorado Gives but not slowing down!

Getting ready for Colorado Gives Day November 1-December 5 (more on that later), but still busy times at the Depot and around town!

Science fiction and fantasy were the theme for MileHiCon this past weekend, and Letterpress Depot printers Marc Silberman, Bryan Dahlberg, Ian Van Mater and Dave Laskowski II were there, designing bookmarks for attendees. (Thanks Bryan for the pix)

Our Depot also was busy getting some repairs to its rotted out parts.

Donations to Colorado Gives keeps us - and our contractors! - going. This year, donations will help us get heat in the building (brrr). So think of us when you start seeing Colorado Gives promotions. We'll be back here November 1 with more details. THANK YOU!

A rare press finds a Depot home

Last week, we shared the daunting move of this 1,800 pound press (more pix of the move here.) But in case you’re wondering just what is a Gally Universal Press? And why does it look like a Colt’s Armory Press? A bit of history.

Merritt Gally started working for a printer at age 11. And despite starting a career as a minister, he was at heart an inventor. When his voice failed after only three years in the pulpit, he turned his attention back to printing. He patented the Gally Press in 1869, but it was just one of 400-500 patents he received!

According to Fred Williams (Type and Press, 1983), “prior to the invention of Gally's press, most job presses were made with either hinged platens (clam -shells) or beds hinged at the ends of long supporting legs (Gordons) so that when the bed met the platen, the two may not have been exactly parallel.” The Gally, known as a parallel-impression press, gave a finer quality print and had better inking due to using rollers supplied by a fountain instead of a disk. Here are the Depot’s versions of a C&P clamshell, a Gordon Franklin brass sidearm press and our “new” Gally Universal.

Gally did not manufacture his own presses, so farmed that work to other companies. One of those was Colt’s—yes, the maker of the iconic firearm. The division there was run by inventor John Thomson who reportedly hated Gally for decades, and once the patents had expired, put out the press and called it the Colt’s Armory Press and later, after starting his own company, the Colt’s Armory Universal. As for Gally, he pursued new patents and a new manufacturer and sued Thomson. Gally lost and both men went on selling their versions of the press. Gally sold all his interests in the design to the National Company in 1915 and died a year later. Thomson’s company and National merged in 1923. The press, like many other hand-fed presses, lost favor with printers when the automatic cylinder came into vogue. But of course, both the Gally and the Colt’s Armory (loaned by Doug Sorenson) still are celebrated and being repaired at the Depot.

Join us at Cushing Park Neighborhood Nights July 19, 4-8pm to see a smaller press in action!

As seen at Romans Park earlier in July

For more info on Gally and the competing presses, check out my sources: From PrintAction, from Perennial Designs and from the APA reprint of Fred Williams “The Great Colt Armory’s War!”.

"The most popular booth at the Festival"

And it sure felt like it!

Lettepress Depot printers had a great time meeting our Englewood neighbors at the Englewood Spring Festival — and showing off our fire engine red Adana presses.

Come print with us next at Celebrate Englewood, May 6 at Civic Center.