Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Book of MormonHistoric Publication Site |
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| Location | 217 East Main Street Palmyra Village, Wayne County, New York,  United States |
| Elevation | 575 feet (175 m) |
| Years of significance | 1829–30 |
| Built | 1828 |
| Restored | 1994–98 |
| Governing body | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
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The Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site is a special place in Palmyra, New York, United States. It includes the E. B. Grandin Building and other buildings nearby. This is where Egbert B. Grandin printed and sold the very first copies of the Book of Mormon.
Because of its important history for Mormonism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the LDS Church) bought the building in 1978. In the 1990s, the church fixed up the Grandin building. They also changed some nearby buildings to create a visitors' center.
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History of the Grandin Building
Egbert B. Grandin had his printing business and bookshop in the western part of a group of buildings. This group was built in 1828. It was located between Palmyra's Main Street and the Erie Canal. Grandin moved his business into what became known as the E. B. Grandin Building.
Grandin's bookshop was on the first floor. His book binding area and a lawyer's office were on the second floor. The printing machines, including two presses, were on the third floor. In 1829, Grandin was asked to print the Book of Mormon. At that time, he also published a newspaper called The Wayne Sentinel.
Later, Grandin closed his business. Many different businesses have used the building since then. The inside and outside of the building were changed many times. New walls, stairs, and even plumbing were added over the years.
The LDS Church bought the E. B. Grandin Building and a nearby building in 1978. Soon after, the first floors were made into a visitors' center. During a local celebration, computers were set up there. Visitors could use them to research their genealogy (family history).
Restoring the Building
In 1993, the leaders of the LDS Church said the visitors' center would close. This was so the building could be restored. The center closed in November 1994. This allowed work to begin on making the building look like it did in the past.
Before and during the restoration, experts did a lot of research. They looked into the building's history and even dug in the ground around it. They found many original parts inside the building. This included plaster, wood, floors, and windows. They even found ink marks on the third-floor walls. These marks are believed to be from when Grandin used the building.
On the outside, some newer decorations were removed. Old layers of paint were also taken off. It was discovered that the brick had originally been painted a red color. The lines between the bricks were painted white. This made the building look very neat and uniform. During the restoration, the building was painted this way again.
On March 26, 1998, the restored building was officially opened. This was the same date the Book of Mormon first went on sale. Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the president of the LDS Church, dedicated the building. Today, the building is open for free tours. Church missionaries lead these tours every day. A copy of Grandin's printing press was also made. It is now in a museum in Provo, Utah.
Printing the Book of Mormon
When Joseph Smith, Jr. first asked Grandin to print the Book of Mormon, Grandin said no. He thought it was too risky and didn't believe in the book. Smith then looked for another printer in Rochester. He found Elihu F. Marshall, who was willing to print it. But before signing with Marshall, Smith asked Grandin again. He told Grandin the book would be printed no matter what. Grandin then agreed to print 5,000 copies.
Later, Grandin worried again and stopped printing. He needed a $3,000 payment to continue. Martin Harris, a wealthy farmer and early believer, mortgaged his farm for the money. This allowed the printing to continue.
On June 26, 1829, Grandin announced in his newspaper that he would publish the Book of Mormon. This would happen once the translation was finished. Oliver Cowdery prepared a copy of the book's handwritten pages. Grandin bought special printing type for the job. The main printer, John H. Gilbert, said the manuscript was clear but had no punctuation. Gilbert added commas and periods in the evenings.
To print the book, Grandin used a modern printing press. This type of press was one of the best available at the time. The actual press Grandin used is now in the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In October, Joseph Smith wrote that local people were very interested in the book. But their interest was not what he hoped for. A local newspaper called the book "the greatest piece of superstition." Another newspaper, the Palmyra Reflector, started printing parts of the book to make fun of it. This happened because the editor used Grandin's press and had access to the pages. Smith had to threaten legal action to stop this.
Many local people thought the Book of Mormon went against their Christian beliefs. They tried to get Grandin to stop printing it. When that didn't work, they decided not to buy the book.
On March 26, 1830, the Wayne Sentinel announced that the Book of Mormon was for sale. It took eight men and boys working long hours for almost eight months to print all 5,000 copies. After the book went on sale, the boycott began. It worked well, and few books were sold. Martin Harris, who paid for the printing, tried to sell the books himself. But he sadly said that "no Body wants them."
Today, copies of Grandin's first printing of the Book of Mormon are very valuable. They are popular items for collectors. For example, in 2007, a copy was sold for $180,000. In 2014, an original edition was valued at $100,000 on a TV show called Antiques Roadshow.
Images for kids
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The E. B. Grandin Building today
