Newspaper museum to open Sept. 8

The museum is located at 953 Historic Homer Highway across from the old courthouse. It is connected to he Banks County News office at that address.

Formerly the home of The Banks County Journal, the location has been the site of a newspaper in Homer since 1888. The building was purchased last year by Mainstreet Newspapers, Inc. the parent firm of The Banks County News.

The building contains the original letterpress equipment used to print the Journal from the early 1900s to 1969. Following the death of owner Pat Hilton that year, the Garrison family purchased the building. The Journal was published from 1969 to 1987 by The Commerce News, but the old equipment in the building wasn’t used after 1969.

Over the last year, the building and equipment has undergone restoration to create a museum that would showcase how a small rural weekly newspaper was published in the early 1900s.

“We’re excited about the opening of this museum in the community,” said co-publisher Mike Buffington. “Although we have more work to do, this museum gives a pretty good view into an era when printing a local newspaper was literally done by hand.”

For a glimpse into the museum, visit: www.ganewsmuseum.com