Niagara Parks Opens the Doors to 500 Years of Printing History at Queenston’s Mackenzie Printery

• Mackenzie Printery welcomes visitors with free admission during Doors Open Niagara-on-the-Lake on Saturday, October 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Visitors can see the rare Louis Roy Press, the oldest printing press in Canada
• Live demonstrations and hands-on experiences will bring centuries of printing history to life

Queenston, ON – Discover stories from the past, see Canada’s oldest printing press in action and get hands-on with centuries of printing history as Niagara Parks welcomes visitors to the Mackenzie Printery during Doors Open Niagara-on-the-Lake on Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Mackenzie Printery joins 15 other sites participating in Doors Open Niagara-on-the-Lake, offering residents and visitors free admission to explore the places and stories that have shaped the community. Other participating sites include Navy Hall, a former British naval supply facility dating to 1765; the Niagara Apothecary, where visitors can learn how pharmacists practised more than a century ago; and Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, a National Historic Site helping train a new generation in heritage conservation.

The Story Behind the Mackenzie Printery

Located in the village of Queenston in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the restored home of publisher, rebellion leader and Toronto’s first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie, highlights more than 500 years of printing technology. Visitors can explore a working Linotype machine, which revolutionized printing in the 19th century and helped make daily newspapers, affordable books and modern journalism possible. The printery is also home to the rare Louis Roy Press, Canada’s oldest wooden printing press and one of the few original wooden presses remaining in the world. It is also the press that printed Ontario’s first newspaper and some of Canada’s earliest laws, including the 1793 Act Against Slavery.

Throughout the day, volunteers will bring the printery’s history to life through demonstrations of the Heidelberg press and Linotype machine, then visitors can also try their hand at printing using an authentic heritage press.

Visitors should be aware that this heritage building is not fully accessible and requires the use of stairs to access the interior. Limited on-site parking is available. For more information, visit niagaraparks.com/mackenzie.

Media Assets are available here.