Grandin Publication Site

The Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site is a highly acclaimed restoration of a print shop from the period 1829-1830. The building has been painstakingly returned to its original condition with a visitors center wrapped around the three stories of the Grandin Building which was built right after the Erie Canal was finished in 1825. The building is one block from the position of the original canal. Because the print shop on the third floor was unoccupied during the intervening years, even ink splashes from the time of the Book of Mormon publication remain on the walls.
Bookstore on the first floor. Most books of the period were sold unbound because people who owned books generally wanted them bound to match. Bibles came bound in fine leather. Because the Book of Mormon was to be a companion to the Bible, it was also bound in leather. The first Books of Mormon were sold from this counter starting on March 26, 1830. Isaac Singer did the woodwork in the bookstore.
E. B. Grandin's office where the contract for the Book of Mormon was signed. Hyrum Smith brought each day's portion of the manuscript to this office and took it home again in the evening. Colors are original.
John Gilbert was the primary typesetter for the Book of Mormon. Since the manuscript came without paragraphing or punctuation, Mr. Gilbert painstakingly supplied these. Upper case letters (capitals) are stored in the upper cases, while lower case letters are kept in the lower cases because they were easier for the typesetter to reach. Mr. Gilbert was very fast and accurate at his work. The 570-page book was typeset and printed in just over 7 months.
The Smith Patented Improved Press, which Mr. Grandin purchased a few months before receiving the contract to publish the Book of Mormon, made the big project possible. Its powerful springs made very clean copies and shortened the laborious work of printing 5,000 copies.
Folded "signatures" containing 16 pages each are carefully sewn together at these work stations.
There were 37 "signatures" in each Book of Mormon.
Once sewn, hot glue was placed on the back of each book to strengthen it prior to being bound.
A special clamp and cutting tool removed the folds from the "signatures" just before the cover was put on each book.
First edition Books of Mormon had their titles done with gold leafing, one letter at a time. A first edition will have slightly irregular positioning on the letters due to being done by hand.