“The Star will borrow its light from sacred sources, and be devoted to revelations of God as made known to his servants by the Holy Ghost.” — W. W. Phelps¹

The first printing office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in Independence, Missouri, following revelations to Joseph Smith on July 20 and August 1, 1831. Dedicated by Bishop Edward Partridge on May 29, 1832, the office was located on Lot 76, Liberty Street, and was the westernmost press in the U.S. The two-story brick building housed the press on the top floor, while the family of church printer William W. Phelps lived on the first floor. The printing office produced fourteen issues of the Church’s first periodical, The Evening and the Morning Star, and published the Upper Missouri Advertiser. On July 20, 1833, a mob attacked the press, scattering type, destroying the building, and disrupting the printing of the Book of Commandments. Some pages were salvaged by church members and later bound.²

1. The Evening and Morning Star, June 1832

2. “Printing office, Independence, Missouri,” josephsmithpapers.org; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 14, 148-155; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 16, 177-178