By Julie Wiscombe
A small red brick building in downtown Provo holds the connection between three great men of this millennium: the printing press.
The Crandall Historical Printing Museum, founded 10 years ago by Louis Crandall, tells the history of moveable type through the life stories of Johannes Gutenberg, Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Smith. Visitors walk through three different rooms, each centered on one of these men, during a hands-on tour dedicated to the printing press and, more specifically, the printing of the scriptures.
“This museum is really a museum of the printing of the scriptures,” said Wally Saling, master printer and one of the museum tour guides.
The tour takes the audience through demonstrations touching on the various aspects of the history of scripture printing. It begins in the Gutenberg room, which contains the only working replica of Gutenberg”s printing press in the United States. This room also features an original page from the Gutenberg Bible, printed in 1400.
“The museum tells the story of Gutenberg”s contribution to the world,” said Marie Crandall, wife of the museum”s founder. “He brought the world out of the dark ages.”
Louis Crandall said he believes the printing press, with its moveable type, is the greatest invention of all time.
“The printing press was the first step toward a literate society,” Crandall said. “It allowed for the eventual mass production of books.”
The second room is dedicated to Benjamin Franklin and his print shop. It too contains a replica of the press used by Franklin to produce works such as “Poor Richard”s Almanac.” That same press printed writings by Thomas Paine, which were used to fuel the American Revolution.
“Franklin”s printing press played a significant role in the formation of the United States,” Saling said. “It is what saved the revolution.”
The final room focuses on the printing of the Book of Mormon. It features a replica of the press used to print the book and other items, such as a replica of the gold plates and the death masks of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
“Printing of the Book of Mormon was the basis of the restoration of our gospel,” Saling said. “We can”t over-emphasize the importance of the printing of the first edition of the Book of Mormon.”
The tour, which lasts about an hour, allows visitors to experience first hand what it was like to print the Bible in Gutenberg”s time and the Book of Mormon in the 1830s. Visitors are allowed to watch as type is cast, ink is made and a page of the Gutenberg Bible, printed on the faithful reproduction of his old press.
Saling, who entered the printing industry at the age of 14, has been with the museum since 1999.
“I enjoy being able to tell the whole story,” Saling said. “When people come through, they are usually overcome by the history because they didn”t realize the impact that printing had on the world.”
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-What: Crandall Historical Printing Museum
-Where: 275 E. Center Street
-When: Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-Admission: $3
