(updated 08/26/2010)
To make way for the Meriam Park development http://newurbanbuilders.com/meriampark/index.htm The old KHSL AM radio transmission towers should start coming down around 10 am on Friday August 27th 2010.
From Wikipedia:
History
KHSL Radio began in Chico, CA, in 1935 at the request of the Chico Chamber of Commerce. Two people, Harry Smithson and Sidney Lewis, put KHSL AM on the air. The first letters of these gentlemen's first and last names form the call letters (KHSL). Over the years these call letters have become an institution in the Northstate.
In 1936, KHSL was purchased by Hugh and Mickey McClung of the Golden Empire Broadcasting Company. In 1953 the McClungs signed on the first commercial television in the Northstate, KHSL-TV. Golden Empire Broadcasting Company, which included KHSL AM and KHSL-TV, was owned by the McClungs until October 1994, and, until the sale, was one of the last original family-owned broadcast companies in the country. Mickey McClung was noted as one of the first female broadcast pioneers in the industry. (Source: Original KHSL website: no longer exists)
I can remember when those towers and the transmitter shack were the only things standing anywhere near Bruce Road.
The AM Transmitter itself is long gone from the site. I believe that it was in the mid-late 1990's when a bay area AM station wanted to go "Clear Channel" (Wikipedia Article) not to be confused the company named "Clear Channel". So, they needed to effectively buy out any transmission rights near their frequency, which at the time included KPAY who broadcasted at 1060 Mhz.
So, in a complex set of transactions KPAY moved to KHSL AM's 1290 Mhz frequency and KHSL AM signed off for the last time. (KHSL TV and KHSL FM continue to operate under separate ownership.)
Since then, the only uses at the KHSL AM site involved Verizon Cellular services on the East Tower.
On the morning of August 18 Verizon moved their site operations to a new tower at the asphalt plant on the Skyway (shown in the last photo).
KHSL AM began broadcasting from a site near Madrone and Hooker Oak Avenues in 1935 under a 1KW license.
The Bruce road towers were constructed around 1947 at which time KHSL AM moved up to 5 KW. After 63 years of continuously serving the Chico area with radio communications of one kind or another the towers are coming down and the transmission site is going silent.
** Added 08/27/2010, Anthony Watts posted this video of the East Tower Coming Down:
The fellow at the left edge of the picture used a cutting torch to cut off one complete set of guy wires. Gravity then completed the process. .
On a tower that has been standing for 63 years, there was little hope of taking it down section by section, safely.
www.marksorensen.net Mark Sorensen for Chico City Council Chico California City of Chico
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About Me: Commentary and news on the affairs of the world, state and our corner of California.
So, did you and Anthony score a couple of sections of the tower for souvenirs?
Unfortunately, I was not able to make it out there.
For a big kid like me, there are few things more fun than a good demolition project with some good physics demonstrations ;-)
I've already got way too much old electronics and ham gear, my wife would veto any sizable additions to my collection ;-)
Dang. Our wives must be related...
Just visiting from Anthony's place, Mark.
Nice history! Cool photos.
(Melbourne, Australia)