The History of Wicwas Press

The company that eventually evolved into Wicwas Press LLC first sold audio-visual programs in 1976 at the American Beekeeping Federation’s Philadelphia, PA meeting. At the time, the budding company was called the Beekeeping Education Service, and was a continuation of educational programs developed while Dr. Lawrence Connor was on the faculty at The Ohio State University. Meanwhile, in 1978 Roger and Mary Lou Morse created a publishing company called Wicwas Press, based on Lake Wicwas, the lake where Mary Lou grew up in New Hampshire. Wicwas Press published several of Roger’s books he had written himself, as well as books of poetry by his father, Grant D. Morse.

In 1989, Wicwas Press was purchased by Dr. Lawrence J. Connor who later organized it into an LLC in Connecticut. Now published out of Kalamazoo, MI, Wicwas Press’s titles include numerous acclaimed works by contemporary authors and bee experts, as well as reprints of significant historical beekeeping books and fiction. The company is family owned, with the help of Andrew Connor and his wife Darcy helping with book sales and day-to day operations. The business is supported by others, who help with the editing, website management and daily activities.

Andrew and Darcy Connor

Andrew and Darcy Connor are an integral part of Wicwas’s team, often representing the family-owned publishing company at beekeeping meetings across the country. Son of Lawrence J. Connor, Andrew is also a beekeeper who has been known to sell some of his own honey when asked. Check out BeeCabulary Essentials for Andrew’s first published book on both basic and advanced beekeeping terms.