The Roycroft community was as much a state of mind as a physical entity and is exactly what Elbert Hubbard had in mind when he founded the community well over 100 years ago. The Roycroft Press was established in 1895 and "Song of Songs" was the first work to be hand printed and bound. The name Roycroft was based on Samuel and Thomas Roycroft, two 17th Century bookbinders. Roycroft also means "royal craft." This Utopian Arts and Crafts Era community would go on to become known as simply the Roycrofters.

Originally devoted to the production of beautiful books printed on hand made paper the Roycrofters would soon be running a bindery, leather shop and making furnishings their own furnishings for the whole community. By 1905 they would also be farmers, blacksmiths, bankers and even at one time produced their own electricity. In the true spirit of the Arts and Crafts movement the Roycrofters were a self sustaining community. In addition, their craftsmen were producing, books, furnishings and accessories to be sold by catalog.

Elbert Green Hubbard was born June 19, 1856 in Bloomington, Illinois. Hubbard's father was a country doctor and his mother a school teacher. They had moved west after spending time in western New York on the Seneca Indian Reservation. Dr. Silas was a good doctor who never earned much money because he often gave away his services. Elbert Hubbard's first work experience was on the family farm and later assisting in his father's medical practice. Hubbard was a boisterous, hard working young man (but self-absorbed) with a do-it-yourself attitude.

Elbert Hubbard married Bertha Crawford in 1879. They moved to Buffalo New York where Elbert went to work for the Larkin Soap Company where his outgoing personality made enabled him to become highly successful. He moved from being a salesman to advertising where he was a pioneer in the creation a varity of mass-marketing methods. Despite his success his real passion was writing and after 17 years he sold his interest in the company and moved on to the next phase of his life.

At the age of 38 Hubbard had decided to pursue an education but he did not relate well to the intellectualism of the University system. This had a profound effect on his ideas about American know-how and hard work. Leaving Harvard was not the end but the beginning of the changes which would lead to the acceptance of the Arts and Crafts ideals. This journey would eventually led to his publishing of "A Message to Garcia" and founding of the Roycroft Print Shop.

In the late 1880's Hubbard pagan a relationship with Alice Moore. She encouraged his writing and study which led "dropping out" of the "establishment" or traditional world. He traveled to England to research his Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great. His liaison with Alice resulted in the birth of a daughter, in 1894. A scant year later, Katherine was born to Elbert and his wife Bertha. The man was torn between his respect and love for the two women. Bertha Hubbard filled and was granted a for divorce in 1901. Though many of his relationships crumbled around him, Elbert Hubbard worked harder than ever. By 1904 things had died down at which time Elbert and Alice were married. Alice became an active partner in Hubbard's enterprises and was instrumental in keeping the Roycrofters on track as Hubbard's public speaking career flourished

While Elbert Hubbard, the entrepreneur provided the main focus and support for the Roycroft community, it was the work and designs of the artisans which embodied the spirit of the Arts and Crafts Movement and appealed to the buying public. Some of the finest craftsmen of the time became part of the Roycroft community as the result of Hubbard's recruitment and the total Roycrofters concept.
Dard Hunter started in 1903 designing metal and leaded glass objects and furniture as well as leather book covers.

Karl Kipp began work in 1908 in the bindery shop but developed a talent for metal work which resulted in the founding of the Roycroft copper shop. Some of the other top craftsmen were Frederick Kranz. Kranz created fine designs in leather. Will Denslow and Samuel Warner were illustrators and Roycroft books are filled with their work. Roycroft furniture, was described as "'simple, solid, substantial, severe, and rarely beautiful.'" Most of the Roycroft simple, solid and beautiful furniture was made of oak. In the Arts and Crafts tradition items were assembled using wooden pins and mortise-and-tenon joints. In addition the furniture was beautifully finished using a "secret finish" and wax. All Roycroft products were stamped either with the Roycroft name or insignia which was a cross and orb modeled after a mark used once used by medieval bookbinders. Hubbard adopted the design in 1895 and added his own touch to it by dividing the orb into three sections representing Faith, Hope and Love and adding an R.

After the death of Elbert Hubbard and his wife Alice on the Lusitania in 1915 The Roycroft community began to decline. While their son Bert continued to operate the business by getting some department stores such as Sears to to carry Roycroft furniture. Then along came the great depression along with a dramatic change in the public tastes. The fate of the community was now sealed and the business was sold at public auction in 1938.

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