Our Past Is Present March 13, 2017

March 13, 2017

This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

Today’s story is about the printing press in the basement of the Museum.  It has been moved several times to other locations, but as you will hear in this story, it ended back where it started. 

            The printing press, which began its operation in the Junction City High School at 6^th and Adams Streets between 1904 and 1929, is once again rolling.  On May 1, 1994, the Chandler and Price press that stood idle for a number of years is once again in operation. 

            The high school at the turn of the 20^th century was located in the building, which is now the GCHS Museum.  The press served as a tool for teaching the printing trade to high school students, who printed the school newspaper and other information in the school district. 

            The press was moved to the Junior/Senior High School at 9^th and Adams Streets when the high school moved to that location in 1929.  Later it was used in the print shop operated by USD 475 in another location.  Still later it was loaned to the Geary County Historical Society and moved to their first museum at 117 West 7^th Street in the old Durland Furniture Store.  When the Museum was given the old Departmental Building at 6^th and Adams by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bramlage in 1982 it was once again moved to the building where it had first started.  USD 475 donated the press to the Historical Society in 1992.  After the press was cleaned and serviced and type set, the press was put back to use by the Society for demonstrations to visitors on May 1, 1994.