A BYU adjunct professor has completed a massive, 1,300-hour project to recreate the first printed version of the Declaration of and Independence using authentic 18th-century techniques. The reproduction was created specifically to provide historically accurate materials for Orem's Colonial Fest, an event running from July 2 through July 4 at SCERA Park.
The project's inspiration
The project was sparked by a request from Gove Allen, a BYU emeritus faculty member and organizer for the Colonial Fest. As reported by BYU News, Allen contacted Robert Buchert, a professor who has taught BYU’s Intro to Letterpress class for over 20 years, because the festival's George Washington reenactor required more historically accurate, 18th-century style paper.
Discovering the Dunlap Broadside
While researching colonial papermaking techniques to fulfill this request, Buchert discovered the Dunlap Broadside—the first official printing of the Declaration of Independence. Recognizing that the United States is approaching its 250th anniversary, Buchert decided to use his niche skill set to replicate the famous document.
Replicating historical paper textures
Buchert's recreation process was a four-month endeavor that utilized traditional papermaking, type design, and letterpress printing. To ensure accuracy, he began by studying a high-resolution scan of one of the 26 surviving original Dunlap Broadsides held by the Library of Congress.
He meticulously scaled the scan to its original dimensions and dissected every physical detail. This included engineering a specialized screen to replicate the unusual 1.05-inch chain lines found on the original paper. Buchert also digitally uncovered the document's watermark, hand-shaped the wire design, and soldered it to a mold. To match the historical material, he produced sheets using a blend of flax, hemp, and cotton fibers.
Authentic typography and typefaces
The professor also rejected modern fonts in favor of rebuilding the typeface from historical specimens. According to BYU News, Buchert used type believed to have originated from the same foundry that supplied the original 1776 printing.
Mimicking historical printing imperfections
Beyond the typography, Buchert sought to replicate the physical imperfections caused by the urgency of the original printing night. The Dunlap Broadside was produced in a single night by printers working under intense pressure just hours after the Continental Congress approved the text. Because of this rush, the original text curves slightly across the page and features irregular spacing. Buchert spent days manually adjusting every character to match these subtle bends and irregularities, viewing them not as flaws but as a record of the excitement and haste of that historic night.
Details about Colonial Fest
The Colonial Fest, which takes place at 600 South State Street in Orem, offers a period-accurate atmosphere for attendees. The event is scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. on July 2 until 6:00 p.m. on July 4 and is free to the public.
For Buchert, the process of recreating such a significant document provided new insights into the nature of the Declaration itself. He noted that the language used in the document possessed a level of dignity and statesmanship that was striking to him during the reconstruction process.
Buchert expressed hope that the project serves as an inspiration for students to appreciate the value of handmade objects. He noted that through the process of creation, individuals can find meaning that carries significance across generations.
While the original printers worked through the night in Philadelphia to produce 200 copies before morning, Buchert's version stands as a modern tribute to that pivotal moment in American history.
