Mormon Print Shop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mormon Print Shop
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main and Forest Sts., St. James, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1850 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000386 |
| Added to NRHP | January 25, 1971 |
The Mormon Print Shop is an old building found in St. James, Michigan. It sits on Beaver Island, a special place in Lake Michigan. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Today, it is a museum called the Old Mormon Print Shop Museum. The Beaver Island Historical Society takes care of it.
Contents
A Look Back at the Print Shop's History
How the Mormon Community Started on Beaver Island
After Joseph Smith passed away in 1844, a man named James Strang started a new religious group. It was called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). This group was part of the larger Latter Day Saint movement, also known as the Mormons. Strang believed his group was the true continuation of the Church.
In 1847, Strang and some of his followers moved to Beaver Island. At that time, not many people lived there. The community of St. James quickly grew. By 1850, thousands of people lived on the Beaver Islands. Most of them were Mormons.
Building the Print Shop and Printing News
In 1850, Strang and his followers built this very building. They used it as a print shop. On December 12, 1850, they printed the first issue of a newspaper called the Northern Islander. This was one of the first newspapers ever printed in northern Michigan.
The Northern Islander started as a weekly paper. Later, it became a daily newspaper. It shared general news with the community. It also included articles about Strang's religious ideas. The print shop was also used to print books.
Changes After James Strang's Time
James Strang had made some people unhappy. In June 1856, he was seriously injured and passed away a few weeks later. Soon after Strang's death, people from the Michigan mainland came to Beaver Island. These non-Mormons caused damage to many buildings. They also made the Mormon residents leave the island.
The group from the mainland took control of the print shop. They even printed their own version of the Northern Islander. This special edition explained their complaints.
In later years, the print shop became a place where people could stay, like a guesthouse. A woman named Mrs. Gibson owned it. Later, the Beaver Island Historical Society bought the building. They now use it as a historical museum, which is the Old Mormon Print Shop Museum. There are plans to make the building even bigger.
What the Mormon Print Shop Looks Like
The Mormon Print Shop is a two-story building. It has a pointed roof, called a gable roof. The building is about 30 feet wide and 20 feet deep. There is also a smaller, one-story part added to the back. This addition is about 19 feet wide.
The shop was built using squared logs. These logs were then covered with vertical boards and strips of wood. The original foundation was made of cedar posts placed in the ground. Over time, these posts wore out. They were replaced with strong cement blocks.
