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Jett Morton poses for a portrait with his typewriter collection inside his home in Morgantown W.Va. on Feb. 21, 2021.
Duncan Slade, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Jett Morton shows Oliver Typewriter Co. memorabilia in his home in Morgantown W.Va. on Feb. 21, 2021.
Duncan Slade, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Jett Morton s limited edition Woodstock Oliver typewriter in his home in Morgantown W.Va. on Feb. 21, 2021.
Duncan Slade, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Jett Morton types on a limited edition Woodstock Oliver typewriter in his home in Morgantown W.Va. on Feb. 21, 2021.
Duncan Slade, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Jett Morton types on a limited edition Woodstock Oliver typewriter in his home in Morgantown W.Va. on Feb. 21, 2021.
Jett Morton is pretty good at installing new shelves for his growing collection.
Between the “Typewriter Room” in his parents basement and the four large metal shelving units in the living room of his Morgantown home, his collection of antique typewriters take up a lot of space.
“I was at over 300 machines,” Morton said. “I had lost counts between 300 and 350.”
Driven by nostalgia, typewriters have gained a surge of popularity in recent years. Before typewriters were cool (again), there was an existing worldwide community of people like Morton who collect, repair and use typewriters.
For him, this hobby started at the age of seven when his parents would take him to yard sales and flea markets.