Piece of Hazen history takes flight
By Lee Coleman
In the last decade before the start of the 20th century, a circa 1890 Cranston cylinder newspaper printing press found a home with the Mercer County Star where it has sat in the original building on Main Street in Hazen since that time.
The press stayed in the building when the Star moved from Krem to downtown Hazen and remained in place when the building was moved to its present site.
Now, nearly 124 years old, the press will move to its new home in one of the South Central Threshing Association buildings in Braddock.
Allan Burke, publisher emeritus of the Emmons County Record, has coordinated the move of the press in conjunction with Arlis Maas of Hazen. Maas has been approved by the City of Hazen to tear down the old buildings on Main Street but was contacted by Burke about the press.
“I had to cut a hole in the back wall to get the press out,” said Maas. “We got it out and Allan sent his team from Braddock to pick it up. I sent my daughter Sadie a photo and told her this was probably the first time the press has been outside in 100 years.”
