First U.S. made bookIn 1775, the first American-made book was advertised in Philadelphia, Penn. Titled Impenetrable Secret, the book was printed and sold by Story and Humphreys. Their advertisement in the Pennsylvania Mercury announced it was “Just published and printed with types, paper and ink manufactured in this Province.” Sadly, no copy of the book has survived. Earlier in the same year, on 7 Apr, the first issue of the paper appeared with a similar proud announcement that it was printed with type of American manufacture. Previously, colonial printers’ type was made from imported matrices. After the nation's breakway from Britain, the American printing industry became increasingly self-sufficient.« |
