Mancos Common Press
The Mancos Common Press is a restored historic letterpress design and print studio located in Mancos, Colorado, in the shadow of Mesa Verde National Park. The organization's mission is to establish the historic Mancos Times-Tribune building and its extension as a center for education, the Printers Art, and as a catalyst in cultivating a thriving community. The local newspaper, the Mancos Times, had been boarded up since 1970 when its production was relocated to a neighboring town.

The storefront stood empty until 2013 when a discovery was made that all the original print materials from 1911 were still inside the building. With encouragement from a visiting preservation professor from the University of Pennsylvania, a local citizens group was formed to explore the restoration and revival of the building and its contents. In 2014, the Mancos Common Press was officially organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The Mancos Common Press operates with an all-volunteer Board and three part-time staff. The organization offers tours, community workshops, hosts events, and collaborates with local businesses and organizations to enhance the economy of the town. It operates out of a small ranching community with a population of about 1,300, which also has a thriving artists' community. The working Cranston Press, which stands close to 8 feet tall and few of which still exist nationwide, is capable of producing prints of up to 24-by-36 inches, the size of a full newspaper spread.








