Printing Office, Williamsburg, VA, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

The Printing Office in Williamsburg, Virginia, stands on Duke of Gloucester Street in the town's colonial historic area. It shows how news, laws and notices were produced by hand in the 1700s. Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia, so its press mattered: it turned the business of government into paper.

The story behind it

Running a colonial printing press was hard, skilled work and took at least two people. The beater inked the type with leather-covered balls stuffed with padding. The puller laid the paper on the press and drew a lever to bring it down against the raised, inked letters. A practised team could produce roughly 200 sheets an hour, and workdays were long. The beater did the most vigorous work.

Because Williamsburg was the seat of colonial government, its press was kept busy with official documents, newspapers and other publications. Most books were still printed overseas, including those used at the College of William and Mary, so a local press mainly served the everyday needs of the capital.

What to look for

• The wooden press itself, with its heavy lever, which shows how much muscle went into every single printed sheet.
• The trays of tiny metal letters, which were set by hand one character at a time and in reverse.
• The ink balls used by the beater, a simple tool that explains why inking was such physical work.
• Printed sheets and papers on display, which hint at the notices, newspapers and government documents that passed through a capital's press.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 20 to 30 minutes if you want to look closely at the press and the type, longer if a demonstration is running.
• Check current opening hours and what access you need before you go, as this part of the historic area can change through the year.
• Go earlier in the day, when Duke of Gloucester Street is quieter and the light is good for photographs.
• Combine it with a stroll along the main street, since other trades and colonial buildings are within walking distance.

See it on a quest

Two Questo quests pass through this part of Williamsburg. Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Williamsburg, VA suits you if you like a mystery with your history. You reach the Printing Office on foot as one stop on a longer route, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle right in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.

Williamsburg Colonial Adventure - A Trip Through American History (PART 2) takes a more historical angle on the same streets. You walk from stop to stop at your own pace, hear the story of each place as you get there and solve a puzzle on the spot, with no guide and no group to join. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.