The Whitman College Press was a letterpress printing press established in 1977 to produce small run, hand-printed editions of historical items from the College’s Northwest Collection and archives. The press equipment was donated to Whitman College in February, 1977 by Frank McCaffrey, the owner and operator of the Dogwood Press, a private press based in Seattle, Washington. From 1977 until 1985, the press was operated by S. Eugene Thompson, the then director of the Publications Department at Whitman College. In 1987 the press equipment was transferred to the art department as the Whitman Book Arts Press where it has been utilized by faculty and visiting artists in classes and their own work. Between 1994 and 2003 the press was utilized in summer book arts workshops held at Whitman College.

Under Eugene Thompson the press produced primarily small pieces for the Whitman College Communications Department. The largest project undertaken during Thompson’s tenure was the “Eaton Letter,” a reproduction of a letter written in 1892 by the second president of Whitman College to his former students in North Adams, Massachusetts as he left to take up his position in Walla Walla. Working with Whitman students, a small book entitled “A Whitman Alphabet” was also produced during this time. In the fall of 1994, a printing of Seven Mourning Songs I Have Yet to Learn to Play on My Cedar Flute by Sherman Alexie was produced on the press. In the Summer 1995, a translation by Professor Jonathan Walters of a Tibetan Palmleaf Manuscript was produced on the press by Barbara Tentenbaum.