A Guide to the WRR Radio Station (Dallas) Records, 1927-1937
Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator: | WRR Radio Station (Dallas, TX) | |
| Title: | WRR Radio Station (Dallas) Records | |
| Dates: | 1927-1937 | |
| Abstract: | The papers of WRR radio station of Dallas, owned by the city, which was one of the earliest broadcasting stations in the United States and the first in Texas, include standard daily journals, program schedules, daily reminders, registers, letters, notes, and printed material. | |
| Accession No.: | 84-148 | |
| Extent: | 2 ft., 5 in. | |
| Language: | Materials are written in English. | |
| Repository: | Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin | |
Historical Note
The first radio station to be broadcast in Texas, and one of the first in the United States, was WRR of Dallas. The station began broadcasting in 1920, with Henry "Dad" Garrett as announcer, and received a provisional license on August 4, 1921. In 1924, leading Dallas businessmen including John Foldberg Thorwald took on the task of reconstructing WRR as a city-owned station and in 1925 the station took the air with studios located in the Adolphus Hotel. For the next 14 years, Thorwald was the director of radio for the city of Dallas and was responsible for a number of programming firsts, such as using radio for police broadcasts, sports coverage, selling time, and broadcasting the dedication of an underground cavern near Austin from 600 feet.
Source: Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Radio," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/RR/ebr1.html (accessed June 9, 2010).
Scope and Contents
The papers of the WRR radio station, Dallas, 1927-1937, include Standard Daily Journals, 1927-1931; WRR Program Schedules, 1932-1939; Daily Reminders, 1926-1927, register (diary), 1926; and letters, notes, and printed material from journals and schedules, 1927-1931, relating to the daily operation and administration of the station.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
Use Restrictions
This collection is stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.
Index Terms | ||
| Subjects (Persons) | ||
| Thorwald, John Foldberg | ||
| Subjects (Organizations) | ||
| WRR (Radio station: Dallas, Tex.)--Archives. | ||
| Subjects | ||
| Radio stations--Administration | ||
| Radio stations--History--United States | ||
| Radio stations--United States--History | ||
| Radio programs | ||
| Places | ||
| Dallas (Tex.) | ||
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
WRR Radio Station (Dallas) Records, 1927-1937, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by John Wheat, February 1988. Subsequent revisions were made by Deborah Bloys, March 1994.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.
Detailed Description of the Papers