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 WRR Radio Posted by:  QuesterMark
N 32° 46.560 W 096° 45.576
14S E 709838 N 3628676
This marker, set almost flush in the ground in front of the radio station, summarizes the history of one of the first stations in the U.S.
Waymark Code: WM3A5K
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/03/2008
Views: 30
Texas Historical Commission Atlas data:
Index Entry: WRR Radio
Address: 1516 First Ave
City: Dallas
County: Dallas
Subject Codes: MA, CS
Year Marker Erected: 2003
Marker Location: Dallas, 1516 First Avenue, Fair Park
Marker Size: 27" x 42"
All State Fairgrounds/Fair Park markers:
WM19T1 State Fair of Texas
WM1A1H Steel Dust
WM19WJ Dallas Depot of the H. & T.C. (Relocated to Frisco, TX in 2013)
WM19NP A Tribute to Texas Women in the Civil War
WM19JE Hall of State
WM3ADC Texas Centennial Exposition
WM3A5K WRR Radio
Marker Number: 13182
Marker Text:
A pioneering radio station, WRR Radio grew out of tragic events in early-20th century Dallas. In 1912, a large fire in southern Dallas required all of the city's firefighting units. While they were on the scene, another fire broke out in the northern part of the city. The central fire station's signal lines were destroyed, which prevented a dispatch to the second fire.
To prevent another such tragedy, Henry Garrett, chief of the city's signal department, worked with Western Electric Co. Employees to install a 50-watt radio broadcasting station at the fire department's headquarters. The station's call letters were WRR.
Early listeners interested in the new technology could pick up the station's signal using crystal sets. By 1921, the municipally owned broadcasting station became one of the first in the nation to offer regular entertainment programming. Within four years the station had advertising support, saving the taxpayers money. From 1925 to 1939, WRR was housed in several Dallas hotels, including the Adolphus.
After the 1936 Texas Centennial celebration, the station moved to Fair Park, where it was first housed in the General Exhibits Building. In 1948, the city acquired an FM-band frequency located at 101.1 on the radio dial. Over the years the station experimented with different formats, including talk and news shows, city meeting broadcasts and classical music. The city sold its original AM-band station in 1978. However, the city continued to support the FM-band station, which, more than 80 years after its first broadcasts, continues to provide classical music, news and local programming to Dallas citizens. (2003)
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