Printing Press Tour

One evening while we were caching for Family Home Evening in Lethbridge, we happened upon the Lethbridge Herald. We could see through the window and see people working on a printing press for the newspaper.  We stood and watched in amazement as they added metal sheets to a number of rollers.  We saw them spread ink in a trough, and feed the paper through. 

It was getting cold, and we were not sure how long it was going to be before they actually started the press, so we decided to it was time to head home.  Just as we turned to leave, a man with a camera came and introduced himself, and talked to us about printing, and the newspaper.  Before we knew it, the people down below in the window were motioning for us to come in.   So we got a tour!

The man was the sports writer for the paper, and took us through most of the rooms in the building.  We saw the place they bring in the giant rolls of paper, the press printing a weekly paper for another town, how they move the papers up and into the inserting room (inserting advertisements, stapling or other extras).  We saw where they store all the advertisments, and make calls to place ads in the paper.  He told us that they are unable to use the back half of the press, as it is sinking into the floor.  The cost of lifting it back up is too much.  He explained how little 4 color printing has changed over 100 years, but expressed that he doesn't think our grandchildren will ever see a printing press as technology is changing.

We had a wonderful tour, and was thankful that he would take some time out of his work day to show our family what happens to make a daily newspaper.