Aug 4, 2025
Mackenzie Printery, Queenston
Simcoe Days
Simcoe Days
Join Niagara Parks Heritage as we celebrate the Louis Roy Press and its connection to the 1793 Act to End Slavery. Discover how Canada’s oldest printing press helped John Graves Simcoe shape the province of Upper Canada at the Mackenzie Printery during Simcoe Days.
During your visit, you’ll get a chance to set the type for a replica of the 1793 Act, right next to the press that originally printed it!
*No additional cost with general admission
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The Louis Roy Press
The Mackenzie Printery is home to the Louis Roy Press, Canada’s oldest wooden printing press. It is one of seven wooden presses remaining in the world. Standing over six feet high, five feet long and three feet wide, the Louis Roy Press looms over anyone standing beside it.
The press was used to print Ontario’s first newspaper, The Upper Canada Gazette or American Oracle. The paper was an integral part of printing legislation and proclamations for distribution to the population, including the 1793 Act to End Slavery.
About the Mackenzie Printery
Located in the quaint village of Queenston, the Mackenzie Printery offers a hands-on experience with a working linotype and eight operating heritage presses. Don’t miss the rare Louis Roy Press, the oldest printing press in Canada and one of the few original wooden presses remaining in the world.
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