WBT - The Early ThirtiesIn The News

The Charlotte News, August 10, 1932

NAME ROAD FOR RADIO STATION

Old Nation's Ford Road to Be Called WBT Highway Under Ruling of Commission.

The state highway commission yesterday took official cognizance of the selection of Charlotte and the Carolinas for the first super-powered radio station in the south when they changed the name of the historic old Indian Trail Nation's Ford to the WBT highway. The road runs for about 17 miles and connects arterial roadways of the two Carolinas.

The old Bell plantation on this road is the site of the new transmitter of the Dixie network's key-station, WBT, and the cotton-fields are now blossoming forth with a maze of wiring, gigantic tubes and intricate electrical devices that will—on Friday night of this week—start carrying the fame of the Carolinas and its Queen City, Charlotte, all over the southeastern part of the country.

The state highway commission announces that signs pointing the location of the WBT highway will be posted at half a dozen connecting connecting points within the next few days.

State and civic officials will make their first ride over the renamed road on Friday night when they journey to the transmitter for the special opening program that will mark the shifting of WBT from 5,000 watts to 25,000 watts—an increase in signal strength of slightly more than twice that received at present.

 

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