The Heritage Press Museum, 346 N. Queen St., Lancaster, has its roots in the Lancaster Cultural History Museum, once located in the Lancaster Trust Performing Arts Center.

Ken Kulakowsky is one of the volunteers at the Heritage Press and a member of the .918 Club, a group dedicated to preserving the art of printing and named for the height of a piece of type. Volunteers from the club man the museum when it is open Thursdays through Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., Sundays from noon to 3 p.m., and the first and third Fridays of each month from 5 to 9 p.m. More information about the museum may be found at http://www.918club.org.

According to Kulakowsky, in 2004, the cultural museum received a donation of printing equipment, and the organization sought volunteers who had experience with letter presses. An exhibit was set up and ran from April until the end of 2004. In early 2005, more equipment was donated, and the exhibit opened again in April, with the display running until 2009, when a state budget cut forced the museum to close.

The printing equipment was not technically part of the museum collection, so the printers sought a new home, eventually landing at Building Character, 342 N. Queen St., Lancaster, where the members print bags for the many crafters who sell items there.

Kulakowsky said the volunteers are happy to demonstrate the presses and even allow visitors to print items such as coasters. "We have no canned presentation," he explained. "We will spend five minutes to five hours (with visitors)." The museum asks that groups set up an appointment to visit.

Among the presses on display is a 1750 common press. "This press was in the Smithsonian for a while," said Kulakowsky, who added that when the press was found in the basement of a church in Maryland, someone who knew of the club contacted club representatives.

A Ben Franklin-era press is on display, and Kulakowsky noted that those studying the American Revolution or the War of 1812 are often interested in learning about that particular piece of equipment.

Lancaster holds a little-known place in American history because of its printing prowess, noted Kulakowsky. "The Articles of Confederation were written and agreed upon in York, but York didn't have any big printers, so (the Articles were) printed on King Street (in Lancaster)," he explained.

The .918 Club is working to complete the Heritage Press Education Center at Thaddeus Stevens School of Technology. The eighth annual Lancaster Printers Fair, which will be held on the 300 block of North Queen Street, Lancaster on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 17 and 18, will benefit the center. A Wayzgoose and Surplus Letterpress Sale will take place at 117 Parkside Ave., Lancaster on Sept. 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. Kulakowsky explained that a wayzgoose is an event that traditionally involved printing competitions and eating roasted goose. More information about the event may be found at http://www.lancasterprintersfair.org.