If you are interested in the history of printing in the Portland area, then the Portland Room at the Portland Public Library is the place to go. In addition to the current exhibit, Printed in Portland, there are a lot of wonderful examples of the works of printing presses in Portland, which has had an abundance of smaller presses throughout its history.
One of these great little presses is Shagbark Press, which began in 1985 in South Portland. David Wolfe, who started his career in Maine at the famed Anthoensen Press, teamed up with the general manager at Anthoensen, Harry Milliken, to launch Shagbark Press. Harry N. Milliken was the President, David Wolfe the Vice-President, and Gwendolyn Milliken the Treasurer. Harry and David were printers, and Gwendolyn, Harry’s wife, was the proofreader and secretary. They created books, periodicals, pamphlets, folders, bookplates, stationery, and broadsides, among other things. They later sold the press to Scott Vile of Ascensius Press. David Wolfe currently has his own press, Wolfe Editions, at the Bakery Studios on Pleasant Street.
It’s a small but magnificent circle of printers intertwined in Maine, with a rich history of printing behind them.
