Travis Smith Keeps Letterpress Tradition Alive in Austin

At a Glance

• Travis Smith runs the Press Room at the Baker Center, preserving over 60,000 film-ad blocks.
• Visitors can create their own letterpress prints in 45 seconds.
• The archive was acquired after a 2017 documentary highlighted its importance.
• January 23, 2026 marks the publication of this feature.

The Press Room at Austin’s Baker Center is a living museum of letterpress printing, where the scent of oil and ink fills the air and the machinery hums with history. Trained in the craft at a used bookstore and the Printing Museum, Travis Smith now keeps that tradition alive by offering hands-on experiences to visitors and preserving a vast collection of film-advertising blocks. The space is not just a nostalgic exhibit; it is an active workshop where thick inks, heavy rollers, and handcrafted blocks meet.

A Letterpress Haven

The Press Room’s environment is a sensory journey. The air carries the perfume of oil and ink, and the walls echo the clunk and whir of the press. Each block is a piece of history, crafted in metal and wood, that still works today. Visitors step into a world where the tactile feel of the press is front and center.

Travis Smith explains the immediacy of the experience: “It’s immediate,” he says. “You can walk in and in 45 seconds go, ‘Oh, I get it.'” That quick turnaround is part of what makes the press so engaging for first-time users. The space also serves as a venue for corporate training and creative workshops.

Preserving Film History

The core of the collection is a staggering 60,000 blocks that once promoted films through newspaper ads. For decades, KB Typesetting in Omaha, Nebraska, produced these illustrated ads, and the first step was creating proofs that could be duplicated for news outlets across the country. Many of those duplicates were discarded, but a complete proof collection survived in an antique store in Omaha.

The discovery of that collection inspired Adam Roffman’s 2017 short documentary, “The Collection,” which was screened at South by Southwest. Tim League saw the film and decided to acquire and preserve the entire archive. Travis Smith, having watched the documentary, stepped forward when the Leagues needed a manager for their new project.

The blocks cover a wide range of American cinema genres. Smith says, “You get the full breadth of the American cinema landscape – Westerns, sci-fi, horror, thrillers, New Hollywood. That’s all in the collection.” The archive thus serves as a tangible record of the film industry’s advertising evolution.

Hands-On Experience

Beyond preservation, the Press Room offers practical learning. Classes cover the fundamentals of letterpress, while corporate training events bring teams into the workshop to experience the craft firsthand. The adjoining cafetorium opens its doors to guests of events hosted by other tenants, such as the Texas Archive of the Moving Image and Graham Reynolds’ Golden Hornet.

At these gatherings, attendees can take home a freshly rolled memento of the night, a tangible reminder of the printing process. The open-door policy encourages community engagement and ensures that the press remains a living part of the Baker Center’s cultural life.

Community and Legacy

Travis Smith is also the right hand for Tim and Karrie League and acts as a de facto supervisor when they are away. He describes himself as a preservationist who loves to see old buildings get a second chance. “I’m a preservationist, and I love to see old buildings get a second chance, so it’s been really exciting to be a participant and a tenant and a steward of this place,” he says.

His role extends beyond operating the press; he helps maintain the Baker Center’s historic character and fosters a sense of stewardship among tenants. The Press Room’s success is a testament to the collaborative effort between Smith, the Leagues, and the wider Austin community.

Timeline of Key Events

Key Takeaways

• The Press Room preserves an unparalleled archive of film-advertising blocks.
• Travis Smith’s hands-on approach makes letterpress accessible to all.
• The collaboration between Smith, the Leagues, and the community keeps the Baker Center’s heritage alive.