Dement Printing Company facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dement Printing Company
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Dement Printing Company in 2009
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2002 6th St, Meridian, Mississippi |
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| Built | 1909 |
| MPS | Meridian MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003387 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1979 |
The Dement Printing Company is a very old printing business in Meridian, Mississippi. It started way back in 1875. The building where the company works today was built in 1909. This building is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This means it's an important historical place. The Dement family owned and ran the company for a long time. In 2016, two sisters, Melissa and Sara Love, bought the company. They now run a business called Generations Fine Paper and Gifts at the same location.
Contents
How the Company Started
The Dement family was involved in printing even before 1875. James Prentiss Dement (1815–1867) was the first in the family to learn printing. He became an apprentice (a trainee) in 1831.
His son, John Joseph Dement (1844–1926), officially started the Dement Printing Company in 1875. It was first located in the Lockhard Building in Meridian. John's brother, Charles Pinckney Dement, also worked there. He was listed as a "book and job printer" in 1882. Charles and his son, James Washington Dement, also started The Meridian Star newspaper in 1898. This newspaper is still Meridian's only daily paper.
Later, John Joseph's son, John Vance Dement (1873–1949), took over the business. He moved the company to a new spot. John Vance worked with his brother, Frank Eugene Dement, and one other helper. They moved the business again in 1900 to 2315 4th Street. The company grew a lot during the seven years it was at this place. They hired more people and got more printing machines.
The Company Building's History
By 1909, the Dement Printing Company had grown very big. The Dement family decided to build their own special building at 2002 6th Street. This building is now on the National Register of Historic Places. It's special because it mixes old-style "classical" designs with a building made for industry.
The building has two stories and is made of brick. It sits on a triangular piece of land, which gives it a unique shape. The main door is at a corner that is cut away. Above the main door, you can see the company's name and the year it was built carved into the stone. The bottom part of the building is painted white. The tops of the flat columns (called pilasters) next to the windows have a cool "running-dog" pattern. An old side door, which is now closed off, also had this special pattern.
The building has changed a few times over the years. New areas were added for offices, a room for setting type, a press room, and a room for binding books. At its busiest, the company used almost the whole block. It employed 70 people, making it one of the biggest printing companies in Mississippi.
Later Generations of the Family Business
In 1913, Frank Dement sold his part of the business to his brother, John Vance. Frank then moved to Texas. After John Vance passed away in 1949, his children took over the company. All seven of his children worked in the business at some point.
John Ernest Dement (born 1944) took over the company in 1974. He is the grandson of John Vance. His wife, Judy, and their children, Corey and Scott, also helped with the business. Corey and Scott were the fifth generation of the Dement family to work in the company. This started with the founder, John Joseph Dement. Scott Bancroft took over the business in 2016.
In 2000, Dement Printing opened another shop called Generations Fine Paper and Gifts. In 2016, this part of the business was sold to two local sisters, Melissa Love and Sara Love.
What Dement Printing Made
Over its long history, Dement Printing Company made many different things. Around the year 1900, when the business was on 4th Street, they printed things like letterheads (paper with a company's name), envelopes, and order forms. They also printed circulars (small advertisements).
During World War II, Dement Printing Company got a huge order. They had to print $26,000 worth of carbon paper for Brookley Field in Mobile, Alabama. They also printed blueprints (special plans) for the Air Base at Key Field in Meridian. Other services they offered included binding books, making rubber stamps, and lithographing (a type of printing).
When computers made it easier for people to print at home, Dement Printing saw fewer sales. The company went from 70 employees down to 22. To adapt, they created a "Generations" department. This department prints things for weddings, like invitations and picture books. They also print baby pictures. The company also started selling office supplies. They even rent out parts of their building to other businesses.
See also
- Dement House, a Mississippi Landmark
