Water Powered Print Shop

Rick123
on 11 Mar 11 (22:00)

I noticed a thread discussing the water powered print shop at the Mt. Washington Hotel in New Hampshire’s White Mountains and I thought that you might be interested in an update. The shop has been placed on New Hampshire’s Seven to Save list. Preservation and restoration are being planned by the owners of the hotel and WhiteMountainHistory.org. A short history and several more photos are on http://whitemountainhistory.org/Print_Shop.php The building needs work but the presses, type, and other equipment are intact. The shop should be able to operate-on water power. Check the website listed. We’re in the process of raising funds for the project. If anyone wants more details, please email me.
Rick

AdLibPress
on 12 Mar 11 (07:51)

Does anyone know of another original all-Golding shop surviving? That must be another notable feature of this shop — three Golding presses and a Golding cutter — no other major equipment by another manufacturer. The shop may have been completely furnished by Golding when it was established, though of course other equipment (like the stitcher) and type has undoubtedly been added.

Bob

anitsirk
on 16 May 12 (10:40)

Hi Rick —

Is this print shop accessible to visit? My extended family lives just an hour from this shop in Vermont…I’d love to see it sometime when I’m visiting (I live in Pennsylvania, but visit at least once a year or so).

I’ll be in North Conway for a wedding over the Memorial Day weekend, but I don’t know if I can make time for a visit then.

Thanks for any information!
Kristina

Elizabeth
on 16 May 12 (12:10)

Rick - This is indeed good news. Here is the original thread from 2006. At that time, many Briar Press members contributed ideas and letterpress samples that were passed on to the people who were making a presentation to the new owners to save the shop. As Bob pointed out, the shop is “an original all-Golding shop,” but also it is more unique because of the water-powered press. Does anyone else know of any other shop with a water-powered press?

Am so happy to hear that this shop is on the “New Hampshire’s Seven to Save list.” Is this shop a 501(c)3. If so, perhaps some members of Briar Press would contribute if you can post a Pay to and mailing address.

AdLibPress
on 16 May 12 (12:19)

I think there are other water-powered presses around: I saw one in the Amish country of Pennsylvania many years ago, but it was an A.B. Dick 360 offset press! But otherwise I can’f cite chapter and verse.

Bob

Sago on Tuesdays
on 16 May 12 (19:16)

I’m thrilled to hear of this printshop being restored. Here in Australia, the last 20 years has seen the rapid, comprehensive demise of print houses across the country, with all but a precious few being dismantled and machinery mostly sold for scrap - a tragic loss of heritage and knowledge. I am a bookbinder, not a printer, but my kinship with the printing trade is such that these losses make me ache for more community understanding about what these traditional crafts represent. As time passes, so the cycle of human curiosity returns from valuing the expedient and the disposable to the tactile and honest. It is up to us all to make sure our trades remain intact for that time to come once again. For letterpress and bookbinding, that time is surely upon us.
My support and gratitude go out to all who make this and other such businesses a going concern, worldwide.

Yours in print and bind,

~Sonya~
Napoleons, Victoria, Australia.

gachap
on 22 Nov 13 (11:08)

It’s been a year and a half—any new news on this?