Sarpy Museum in Nebraska Awarded Grant to Rebuild Historic 1885 Printing Press

BELLEVUE, Neb.—June 12, 2015—An old press dating back to 1885 will soon find a new home at the Sarpy County Museum based here, reported the Omaha World-Herald. The press was discovered in the basement of TriPointe Coffee House, which is located in the former Papillion Times building.

Jim Miller, a volunteer at the Sarpy County Museum, told Ben Justman, executive director at the museum, about the press, which was used from the late 1800s to the 1960s, when the Papillion Times was owned by the Miller family.

Commenting on the idle press and its need for restoration, Justman said, "It’s not doing any good sitting in the basement. It’s such a nice piece of history, so it needs to come up."

Justman was awarded a $1,500 grant, which he will use to restore the printing press and make it operational for presentations and demonstrations.

According to the World-Herald, the press weighs between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds, and in order to move it out of the TriPointe Coffee House, it will need to be taken apart and reassembled.

"I’m really glad the two Miller brothers {Jim and his brother Jack} are around because they’ll really help with the technical know-how," relayed Justman, adding that he will also try to track down pieces from other printers from the same time period.

The restoration project will be funded by a grant through Questers,  a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study, conservation and preservation of historical objects. According to the paper, Corps of Discovery #1504, the local Bellevue chapter, provided $220 toward the project, while the Nebraska Questers, a statewide chapter, provided $1,280.

Justman told the paper that he hopes by restoring the press, people will be able to see how different life was more than 100 years ago.