The Roycroft Campus Architecture

In 1895 Elbert Hubbard nurtured his love of writing by creating the Roycroft Press. For Hubbard, this press was more than a simple means to print success; instead, it meant the difference between being an obscure writer begging publishers for the opportunity to be published and being a self-made, successful writer. The first product of the press was a monthly magazine devoted to philosophy and art called, The Philistine. One of the most popular features within The Philistine was a series of articles Hubbard wrote about his visits to the homes of notable people called Little Journeys. In his first run Hubbard printed 2,500 copies of The Philistine and mailed each copy to a notable person within the United States. This highly targeted direct mail effort paid off and as a result, became extremely popular and began Hubbard’s transformation into a man of influence.

In 1896 the still young Roycroft Press printed its first book, Song of Songs, a reprint of a Bible story about Solomon. Throughout the following three years, the press continued to print magazines and books non-stop and Hubbard’s fame gradually increased. In 1899, Hubbard wrote and printed, A Message to Garcia, an essay which gained such enormous popularity, it made Hubbard a superstar. A Message to Garcia was a pro-success treatise inspired by Hubbard’s son during a conversation they had about the Spanish-American war. The popularity he gained from A Message to Garcia turned the Roycroft campus into nothing less than a phenomenon. By 1901, his printing business had become so popular he had over 300 employees and had to build a new print shop on the Roycroft campus.

In 1908, Hubbard had taken to referring to himself as “Fra Elbert Hubbard.” Inspired by his autonomous title, he started a new magazine, The Fra which was a large format monthly magazine with a long roster of contributors and regular commercial advertising pages. From the collaborative spirit to the marketing bent of the magazine, The Fra is perhaps the most quintessential Hubbard production ever created. Throughout its monthly pages, it captured the true essence of Elbert Hubbard.

“The Fra stands for art. Art is not a thing separate and apart- art is a way. Art is the beautiful way. Art should extend to every function of life, for our environment as well as our actions should be graceful, harmonious, beautiful. THE FRA stands for the art of living.” –Ebert Hubbard, The Fra

Sample contents: Emerson the Skeptic; Middlemen and Parasites; Some History and a Conclusion; A Modern Prophet; World's Most Valuable Secret; Popular Election of Senators; Religious Revival; Presidential Booms; Religion in the Future; Follies of La Follette; Mystery of Life; and much more. These magazines represent an incredible wealth of Americana.