Standing in the Presence of Local History
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Standing in the lobby, there are statues staring right back at you, figures of human beings. One of these life-sized statues is holding a stack of newspapers in his hands and he is staring at another statue.  Every one of these statues has a very dark skin tone, next to these statues is an antique metal printing press.  The sound of machines humming and working can be heard somewhere off in the background.  Where am I?  Inside the lobby of the Los Angeles Times printing plant on the edge of downtown Los Angeles waiting for the start of a guided tour. 

The Los Angeles Times printing plant was opened in 1989 and today produces not only the print edition of the LA Times but the daily West Coast editions of USA Today, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are also printed here under contract.  Guided tours are available at no cost to the public (suspended due to COVID temporarily) five days a week but all tours must be booked in advance. 

The online news and entertainment website “The Los Angeles Beat” explains that when the LA Times was first printed back in December 1881, there was no electricity available in the City of Los Angeles, so the newspaper’s first presses were powered with water from the Los Angeles River. 
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A man walks up to me, points to the employee badge attached to his shirt pocket, and he asks if I am the one waiting for the guided tour.  I confirm that yes, I am and he shakes my hand and introduces himself.

For me, as a person who has subscribed to both the LA Times and Wall Street Journal digital editions in the past, it was incredible to see how much hard work goes into making the daily print edition of those same newspapers.  There were enormous rolls of paper that are brought into the plant every day and rolled out onto the presses and part of this tour includes actually seeing that complex printing process basically from start to finish, the tour took approximately 45 minutes to complete.
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This entire experience remains a happy memory in my life and I’m glad I got the chance to take this tour.  While doing a bit of research for this story, I found out that last year, the plant was sold to an outside company that has been actively buying up and tearing down buildings or converting them into retail and living spaces.  

LA Times Printing Plant Tours
​Call 213-237-5757 for tour details and to make a reservation.

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