Challenge Gordon Press

1897 Printing Press

The printing press on display in our lobby is a Challenge Gordon treadle press, a vintage letterpress machine manufactured by the Challenge Machine Company of Chicago for the Western Newspaper Union’s Wichita branch. We estimate it went into operation sometime after 1897 based on the patent stamps on the big gear. Groover Labs co-founders Curt Gridley and Tracy Hoover purchased the press from Jeff Pulaski, Professor of Graphic Design and Director of the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries at Wichita State University, as a nod to the history of the building as Printing, Inc. Little did they know that the press once operated at 201 S. St. Francis Ave. in the Western Newspaper Union building.

Since the press has been on display, it has sparked a lot of interest and curiosity among members and visitors alike. One of our members went so far as to unearth patent information on a component of the press, available here.

The Western Newspaper Union (WNU) was a syndicated news service that provided a wide range of editorial material for rural and small-town newspapers. The WNU printed “readyprint” or “patent insides,” preprinted news along with features, literary supplements, cartoons, and advertisements. The syndicate then sold the readyprint to rural and small-town newspapers, whose publishers inserted them into their daily or weekly papers. 

This specific press, constructed mainly of cast iron, was made for the WNU’s Wichita branch, as indicated on the plaque affixed to the machine. Wichita, with its central location, served as an ideal hub for efficiently delivering readyprint to customers throughout the region.

The Challenge Gordon treadle press is self-inking, meaning the rollers transfer ink from an ink plate at the top of the machine, spreading a thin coat of ink over the surface of the movable type. When the operator presses down on the treadle, the platen, fitted with a fresh sheet of paper on each press of the treadle, is lifted up and pressed against the movable type, creating a printed sheet. The treadle system allows the press operator to control the speed and rhythm of the press, ensuring consistent print quality.

This is a working machine, although we’ve tied it off so visitors can’t get their fingers caught in the gears. In March 2021, Curt, Tracy, their daughter Fiona, Jeff Pulaski, Groover Labs member Thomas Niederberger and a couple other knowledgeable folks came in on a Saturday to restore the machine to working order.