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September 2023 by Darryn Byler
Has a small shop with locally crafted knick-knacks.There was someone doing a live demonstration of using a printing press.Really cool place!
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March 2023 by Sarah P.
Happened to wander in here when leaving the Old North Church and so glad we stumbled upon this place. The printmaker gave us a detailed intro to printing presses during the Revolutionary War era and how they meticulously reproduce original intaglio printing presses to reproduce original prints of Paul Revere. If this spot is open it’s definitely worth a visit!
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July 2022 by John T.
George provided a great detailed look at printing, paper-making, type construction, mixed with entertaining stories. This is a must see, particularly flowing out of the Old North Church.
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June 2022 by Rick B.
Benjamin Edes (October 15, 1732 - December 11, 1803) was an early American printer, publisher, newspaper journalist and a revolutionary advocate before and during the American Revolution. He is best known, along with John Gill, as the publisher of the Boston Gazette, a colonial newspaper which sparked and financed the Boston Tea Party and was influential during the American Revolutionary War. Edes established a partnership with Gill and together they printed various works. Edes and Gill became the proprietors of The Boston Gazette and Country Journal on April 7, 1755. The Gazette was established on December 21, 1719 by William Brooker. Edes made the paper a leading voice favoring American independence. Edes was part of The Sons of Liberty, a secret society of American patriots in Revolutionary America. Edes and Gill worked closely with Samuel Adams who employed the Boston Gazette in the publication of Adams' many revolutionary essays and letters. Andrew Oliver said, "The temper of the people may be surely learned from that infamous paper". Governor Bernard advised the arrest of both Edes and Gill as publishers of sedition.
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November 2020 by AdventureDiva
Located next to the Old North Church, this printing office makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. Staff was happy to show off the mechanics of the printing press and discuss how this exhibit identified the importance of free speech.
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February 2020 by Bess Z.
This is one of the coolest finds I've come across in Boston. The guy working there, dressed in character I might add, was very knowledgeable about his job. Turns out he likes to collect newspapers. What a perfect fit - the owner is very lucky to have such a passionate employee. One of the copy machines you see on display was made in 1735 in Paris and quite honestly an immaculate bit of history to behold. They also hand-print copies of the Declaration of Independence on one of their machines (they're for sale). You can also buy copies of original newspapers from the 1700s. They are printed on linen paper so they preserve well. Also, since they only delivered to subscribers (not in news stands for example), each magazine was at one point delivered to someone specific. I ended up buying one for $35. The newspaper was hard to read at first because the "s" looked like a cursive "f" but you get so used to it. What a great read. It even had the stamp on the bottom of the 2nd page (stamp tax uproar anyone?). Definitely stop by and check them out.
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February 2020 by Rob H.
A must-experience oasis of authenticity in the sea of food and tourist trinkets in the Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall area. We stopped and were transported back to the days of the revolution, and the role that (by today's techno-standards) a simple press played in our nation's founding. And the press is just the tool. The real story is about the characters of that time, their lives and their interaction, all brought to life for you by the printer-historian before you. Spend a few moments or spend a few minutes, and history will come alive in memorable vignettes of early Boston life. And you'll be in Faneuil Hall, right where these characters worked and walked. You won't leave the same! The smells of be
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October 2019 by Grace Bowen
I loved learning about the Printing Press and how it works. And our Historian was extremely knowledgeable and kind to us. We had a great time seeing how it works! ?
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September 2019 by Minh Nguyen
nicest, most friendly staff!
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August 2019 by HannahGey
It is really cool to see a working printing press and to be able to get copies of Historical documents that would have been printed this way!
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August 2019 by TeamBateman
Gary is a hidden gem in Boston. We have been before but never had the opportunity to interact with him before. My teenager got to see a working printing press up close and consider what really went into the process. I wish I could bring all US History students here. Gary is so knowledgeable and his passion comes through in his demonstrations. Such an amazing experience!
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August 2019 by OriginalUnclebeezy
We made a short 10-15 minute stop to watch the printing press being used. The employees were very friendly and you can purchase the copies of the Declaration of Independence they print with the press.
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July 2019 by bLiselotte
This is on main floor of Faneuil Hall. As I was shopping for some souveniers I was drawn in despite myself. It is a open side of the hall and has guide? performer? that walks through the history of the printing shop and its importance to our American Nation. Fun for Adults and Kids.
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April 2019 by Adam Cassidy
Had a great experience visiting The Printing Office of Edes & Gill at Faneuil Hall. Gary was fantastic and clearly passionate about sharing his love and knowledge of this craft. He has an incredible collection of presses and it’s great to see them being used and visible to the public.
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January 2019 by J E.
An hour spent here was one of the highlights of our weekend, visiting historic Boston. The young man working here on an early Sunday afternoon was a wealth of knowledge; he described to us the context of the struggle of the early patriots, and talked about the sometimes unvarnished stories of the founders, before and after the Boston Massacre. For example, did you know that some of the Boston patriots may have been the earliest purveyors of fake news? Writing under pseudonyms, they would write articles of atrocities in Boston, but publish them in New York and Philadelphia, knowing that Bostonians would recognize the exaggerations. I never knew that the colonists rejected the legality of the Stamp Act on the basis that the British Parliament had no authority over the Colonies; the Colonies were the possessions of the Crown, not Parliament. Fascinating, compelling and wonderful stories. We also learned about printmaking in these early days, and watched a Boston reproduction of the Declaration of Independence be printed on a vintage press. It was fascinating to learn how wear and tear on print type becomes more evident as you look at examples of newspapers as the Revolutionary War continued on; typeface wears out over time, and receiving replacements from Britain was not possible with the ongoing war. When you examine actual newpapers (yes, they have original newspapers printed on cotton rag pulp, which makes it possible for them to survive so long after printing), you can see the evident degradation of the typeface in 1782 as compared to 1775. Treat yourself to a copy of the Declaration of Independence printed on real cotton rag pulp produced by Crane and Company; the original and still the only producers of paper for US currency. A bargain at the patriotic price of $17.76. We're so happy we stumbled in on a cold, January day.
