Jefferson in Marion County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Mergenthaler Linotype Typesetting Machine
Made in the early 1920s
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
1. Mergenthaler Linotype Typesetting Machine Marker
This machine was used by the Jefferson Jimplecute to make newspaper printing plates until the early 1970s. This hot type machine actually melted lead that was then cast into strips of lead type that were locked into place on the printing press. After printing, the type was re-melted to begin the process again.
Come into The Jefferson Museum to see many other exhibits.
Erected by The Jefferson Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 32° 45.349′ N, 94° 20.783′ W. Marker is in Jefferson, Texas, in Marion County. It is at the intersection of North Market Street and West Bateman Alley, on the right when traveling north on North Market Street. Marker is located outside the Jefferson Museum, beside the subject machine, at the northwest corner of the property. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 223 West Austin Street, Jefferson TX 75657, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Brown-Bender House (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Federal Court and Post Office Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Sterne Fountain (within shouting
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Ottmar Mergenthaler and the Linotype. Letterpress Commons website entry:
Although Ottmar Mergenthaler was born in Hatchel, Germany in 1854 and received his early training as a watchmaker in Wόrttemberg, his creative career started and flourished after he arrived in Washington, D.C. in 1872 at the age of eighteen. Mergenthalers concept was to produce a machine that did not merely set previously cast type, as the other machines did, but to combine the casting of type with the composition of text in a single operation. By July, 1884 two new machines on this principle were completed. In his own words, Smoothly and silently the matrices slid into their places, were clamped and aligned, the pump discharged its contents, a finished Linotype, shining like silver, dropped from the machine and the matrices returned
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
2. Mergenthaler Linotype Typesetting Machine Marker (wide view)
2. Linotype typesetting machine. Britannica website entry:
Characters are cast in type metal as a complete line rather than as individual characters as on the Monotype typesetting machine. It was patented in the United States in 1884 by Ottmar Mergenthaler. Linotype, which has now largely been supplanted by photocomposition, was most often used when large amounts of straight text matter were to be set. (Submitted on December 5, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
3. Mergenthaler Linotype Machine
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
4. Mergenthaler Linotype Machine
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
5. Mergenthaler Linotype Machine
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 24, 2014
6. Jefferson Museum (Sponsor of Linotype Machine exhibit)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 4, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 604 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 4, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 5, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
