Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
5933 6th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98108
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.mohai.org
2014.67
Collection on KIRO Radio
1925-1987
2 boxes
.87 cubic feet
Photographs, business records, technical reports, clippings and sound recordings
related to KIRO Radio in Seattle
4a.1.4 (Box 1)
4a.1.5 (Box 2)
5a.4.7 (Sound recordings) Collection materials are in
English.
The materials in the collection originally belonged to an unknown employee of KIRO Radio. The collection
suggests that this person worked in the Engineering department at KIRO, as many of the photographs depict engineering
staff, and the materials include a number of technical reports. Several of the photographs are credited to Bill Reuter,
who worked at KIRO as a transmitter operator and assistant to Chief Engineer Jim Hatfield.
The collection of photographs includes aerial and ground views of the Vashon-Maury Island KIRO transmitting
station and various Seattle KIRO studio and office locations. A series of informal snapshots depict KIRO employees
engaging in fieldwork and outdoor recreational activities. Images include KIRO radio personalities in broadcast
studios, the first KIRO mobile news radio station wagon, and the 1938 broadcast of the Boeing Clipper flight test from
the shore of Lake Washington. Seattle photographs in the collection document World War II events held at Victory Square
and the opening of the Mt. Baker Tunnel.
Business records include correspondence, internal memos, FCC applications, newsletters and press releases. A
collection of technical drawings and blueprints depict the KIRO antenna system schematic. Northwest regional maps show
population, broadcast coverage, signal range and directional measurements. Technical reports include detailed field
strength measurements and performance data on the newly designed Vashon-Maury Island directional antenna.
A scrapbook contains photographs and newspaper clippings relating primarily to the construction, promotion and
opening of the Vashon-Maury Island station in 1941. A collection of ten 33rpm transcription discs contain KIRO
programming, including the 1938 Gold Shield Coffee Hour and an episode of the 1952 program, the Seattle Book Review,
featuring local author Betty McDonald. Mt. Vernon and Pt. Townsend are featured on the 1945 program This is the
Evergreen Empire.
KIRO was founded by Moritz Thomsen of the Pacific Biscuit Company and began broadcasting on April 27, 1927 as
the 100-watt station KPCB 650. In 1935, Queen City Broadcasting Company headed by Norman K. Lear and Saul Haas took
over the station, changing the call letters to KIRO and increasing the power to 500 watts. In 1937, KIRO was assigned
the new frequency 710 kilocycles and increased its power to 1,000 watts. About the same time, KIRO became the official
Seattle affiliate for CBS.
Over the years, the Seattle KIRO broadcast station moved several times. The first location was at Fourth and
University, followed by the Olympic Hotel, the Cobb Building (circa 1940) and the Federal Insurance Building on Queen
Anne Avenue. In the 1950s, the station moved to 1530 Queen Avenue North, and then to Third and Broad Streets (circa
1975). The KIRO station is currently located near the Seattle Center, with a transmitting tower adjacent to the
station’s original studios on Queen Anne Hill.
KIRO became known as the “friendly station” when its radio personalities broke from the formal style that was
common in the early days of radio announcing. Famous KIRO news announcers included Chet Huntley, hired in 1934, and
Edward R. Murrow, who came to prominence with a series of radio broadcasts during World War II. KIRO was known for its
wide variety of live, local entertainment, but the station also recorded hours of CBS programming for time-delayed
broadcast, including transcriptions of World War II era news coverage over the CBS network.
The new KIRO transmitting station on Vashon-Maury Island became operational on June 29, 1941, becoming the
first 50,000 WATT station granted by the FCC in the Pacific Northwest. Two 526-foot towers, using state-of-the art
directional technology, increased the KIRO audience from 540,000 to 1,355,000 in the most densely populated parts of
the Northwest. The new area served was 400 percent larger, and a strong night signal reached as far north as Alaska.
During the 1940s, KIRO was one of the most powerful radio stations in the United States.
In April 1963, the communications division of the Salt Lake City-based Church of Latter-Day Saints began
purchasing stock in Queen City Broadcasting, eventually getting majority control of the station. By the 1970s, KIRO was
known for its “middle of the road” music, and ratings were poor. Using the model of KCBS, a CBS affiliate station in
San Francisco, KIRO reinvented itself as a news talk station and began broadcasting three hours of news each morning,
putting the first Seattle traffic helicopter in the air. KIRO is currently owned by Atlanta-based Cox Media Group and
affiliated with the ESPN Radio Network. KIRO is the official broadcast station for Seattle Seahawk football and Mariner
baseball.
Arranged in seven series:
- Photographs
- Technical reports
- Drawings, technical diagrams, blueprints and maps
- Business records
- Clippings
- Scrapbook
- Sound recordings
View selections from the collection in
MOHAI's online collections.
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes
available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections.
In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Collection on KIRO Radio, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
The collection was dropped off at KIRO Radio by an individual who indicated that the materials had belonged to
a KIRO employee. The donor received the materials from KIRO.
Gift of Feliks Banel; received in June 2014.
The collection was received with no original order. The collection was organized into series based on material
type.
Peter S. Green Gold Shield Coffee Hour Sound Recordings, MOHAI Collection No. 2012.77.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials
about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
KIRO (Radio station : Seattle, Wash.)
Seattle (Wash.)
Maury Island (Wash.)
Radio broadcasting--Washington (State)
Radio stations--Washington (State)
Radio engineers--Washington (State)
Sound equipment and supplies
Seattle
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Media and communications
Technology
Photographic prints
Sound recordings
Scrapbooks
Photographs
1925-1975
2014.67.1
1/1
Buildings and grounds of KIRO transmitting station, Vashon-Maury
Island
circa 1941
8x10 inches
Forde Photographers
2014.67.2
1/1
KIRO transmitting station, Vashon-Maury Island
circa 1941
8x10 inches
Roy Leiser
Aerial view shows station buildings and broadcast towers.
2014.67.3
1/1
Man with car parked on mountain road with high snowdrifts
circa 1940
8x10 inches
Possibly Mt. Baker Highway.
2014.67.4
1/1
Car parked in front of snow-covered entrance to Mt. Baker Lodge
circa 1940
8x10 inches
2014.67.5
1/1
Exterior of KIRO Radio Station building, 1530 Queen Anne Ave.
N.
circa 1968
8x10 inches
Forde Photographers
2014.67.6
1/1
Three men and one woman standing with scripts in front of KIRO-CBS
microphone
circa 1950
8x10 inches
2014.67.7
1/1
Small table with KIRO CBS microphones and folding chairs
circa 1950
8x10 inches
2014.67.8
1/2
Two men in broadcast booths
circa 1945
8x10 inches
2014.67.9
1/2
Man working in broadcast booth
circa 1950
8x10 inches
Brant Photographers
2014.67.10
1/2
Radio broadcast booth showing microphone and control
equipment
circa 1950
8x10 inches
Brant Photographers
2014.67.11
1/2
KIRO studio engineer James Upthegrove and engineer John Dubuque with
radio equipment
circa 1955
8x10 inches
Forde Photographers , Seattle
2014.67.12-13
1/2
Auditorium with tables and Christmas decorations
circa 1950
8x10 inches
Roger Dudley , Seattle
2014.67.14
1/2
Federal Old Line Insurance Building, Queen Anne Avenue
circa 1957
8x10 inches
Roger Dudley , Seattle
Formerly the Queen Anne Club, this building was purchased by the Federal Old Line Insurance Co. in 1942
and converted it to office use. In 1952, the clubhouse accommodated the studios of the Queen City Broadcasting Co.
KIRO-TV made further modifications in 1957 and built its television tower at the south edge of the property.
2014.67.15
1/3
KIRO mobile news station wagon parked on mountain road
circa 1942
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.16
1/3
KIRO mobile news station wagon parked on boat dock
circa 1942
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.17
1/3
KIRO engineers Jim Hatfield and Jim Upthegrove preparing for remote
broadcast of Boeing Clipper test near Lake Washington
1938
3 x 4 inches
Handwritten on back on 2014.67.17: Jim Hatfield, Chief Eng KIRO, mike in hand, and Jim Upthegrove,
Studio Ch. Eng. setting up for remote broadcast of Boeing Clipper test on edge of Lake Washington.
2014.67.19-23
1/3
KIRO portable shortwave equipment on ship deck
circa 1940
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.24-26
1/3
Victory Square War Monument, Fourth and University Streets
circa 1943
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.27-29
1/3
Military band in Victory Square, Fourth and University
Streets
circa 1943
3 x 4 inches
KIRO CBS microphone visible on stage.
Handwritten on back on 2014.67.27: Wartime at plaza north of Olympic Hotel
2014.67.30
1/3
Military band near Hotel President in Victory Square
circa 1943
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.31
1/3
Victory Square in snow, Fourth and University Streets
circa 1943
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.32-34
1/4
Boeing 314 Clipper moored on Lake Washington
1938
3 x 4 inches
Handwritten on back: First Boeing Clipper Ship
2014.67.35-37
1/4
President Truman and Washington Governor Mon Wallgren at
event
circa 1945
3 x 4 inches
KIRO CBS microphone visible in photo.
2014.67.38-39
1/4
Opening of Lake Washington floating bridge (Lacey V. Murrow bridge) and
Mt. Baker tunnel
1940
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.40
1/4
KIRO broadcasters at table at University of Washington sports
stadium
circa 1945
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.41
1/4
Birds-eye view University of Washington sports stadium with spectators
and marching band formation
circa 1945
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.42
1/4
The American School of the Air, KIRO broadcasters live on stage
circa 1943
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.43
1/5
KIRO Chief Engineer Jim Hatfield inspecting telegraph lines for forest
service
circa 1939
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.44
1/5
KIRO Chief Engineer Jim Hatfield and his assistant Bill Reuter outdoors
on hike
circa 1939
3 x 4 inches
Handwritten on back: J. Hatfield Ch. Eng. KIRO with hat. Bill Reuter hatless. I've hiked in (9 miles)
many times with Hatfield and he wore the same fishing hat for years.
2014.67.45
1/5
Jim Hatfield and McIntosh hiking at Twin Lakes
1939
3 x 4 inches
Handwritten on back: Jim Hatfield Ch. Eng. KIRO 1939 Lake August in rear and McIntosh in lead at 5500 ft
level. Twin Lakes.
2014.67.46-47
1/5
McIntosh fishing and camping at Twin Lakes
circa 1939
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.48
1/5
McIntosh and Jim Hatfield hiking
circa 1939
3 x 4 inches
Handwritten on back: Picture taken by Bill Reuter, Hatfield's assistant [at KIRO]
2014.67.49
1/5
Jim Hatfield and Bill Reuter camping in Methow Valley
1955
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.50-54
1/5
Ski slopes, lodge with skiers and lifts
circa 1955
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.55
1/6
Maury Rider sitting on car fender at Maury Island construction
site
1940
3 x 4 inches
Handwritten on back: Maury Rider at KIRO new construction site 1940. He was Ch. announcer & special
events Dir,
2014.67.56
1/6
KIRO announcer Maury Rider painting letters "KJP" on outhouse on Maury
Island construction site
1940
3 x 4 inches
Maury Island site of KIRO construction - christening the new outhouse and about to add the finishing
touch!
2014.67.57
1/6
KIRO transmitting station on Maury Island under construction
1940 November 22
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.58
1/6
Scale model of new KIRO transmitter on Maury Island
1940
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.59-74
1/6
KIRO transmitting station Maury Island, installation of copper strap
towers
circa 1975
3.5 x 5 inches
color
2014.67.75-80
1/7
Radio broadcasting equipment
circa 1975
3 x 4 inches
color
2014.67.81
1/7
Bill Reuter hiking
circa 1945
2.5 x 3.5 inches
2014.67.82
1/7
KIRO announcers Maury Rider and Peter Merton on steps of Capitol
building, Olympia
circa 1945
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.83
1/7
KIRO engineer Jack McMullen
1937
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.84
1/7
Jerry Valentine working on wiring
circa 1970
3.5 x 3.5 inches
2014.67.85
1/7
Chief Engineer David Hubert working on equipment
circa 1970
3.5 x 3.5 inches
2014.67.86-87
1/7
Chris Rose at broadcast console
circa 1970
3.5 x 3.5 inches
2014.67.88
1/7
Dave Fields
circa 1940
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.89
1/7
KIRO announcer Bill Yend at microphone
circa 1975
3 x 4 inches
2014.67.90
1/7
People seated on lawn at KIRO company picnic at Bill Reuter home, Vashon
Island
1952
3.5 x 5 inches
2014.67.91-92
1/8
KIRO broadcast studio and equipment
circa 1975
5 x 7 inches
2014.67.93
1/8
Talk show host Dick Harris in KIRO broadcast studio
circa 1975
5 x 7 inches
2014.67.94
1/8
Broadcaster Jim Gearhart in KIRO broadcast studio
circa 1975
5 x 7 inches
2014.67.95-96
1/8
Radio broadcast tower
circa 1940
5 x 7 inches
2014.67.97
1/8
Rhodes Department Store rooftop water tower
circa 1940
5 x 7 inches
2014.67.98
1/8
Interior of Rhodes Department Store with CBS KIRO sign
visible
circa 1940
3 x 4.5 inches
2014.67.99-108
1/9
Radio equipment and hardware, including portable transmitters, radio
receivers, headsets and measurement gauges
circa 1925
2 x 4 inches
Technical reports
1942-1987
2014.67.109
1/10
KIRO Application for Return to Direct Measurement of Power
1987 March 30
16 pages
Prepared by Hammet & Edison, Inc. Consulting Engineers for Radio Station KIRO, following changes to
the antenna system.
2014.67.110
1/11
Proof of Performance (on Directional Antenna), Transmitter
Copy
1949 June
Includes application for new broadcast station license, directional field strength data sheets and maps
showing detailed measurements on Vashon Island
2014.67.111
1/12
KIRO Radio Station Application for FCC License
1977
Prepared by Hammet & Edison, Inc. Consulting Engineers for Radio Station KIRO, includes proof of
performance and field strength measurements to new support license application
2014.67.112
1/13
KIRO Field Strength Measurements
1942
Northwest field intensity measurements made by J.B. Hatfield, KIRO Chief Engineer
Drawings, technical diagrams, blueprints and maps
1940-1977
2014.67.113
1/14
Northwest regional maps with diagrams showing KIRO Radio coverage service
area
1945-1965
22 pages
2014.67.114
1/15
KIRO antenna system technical schematic drawing
1958
2014.67.115
1/15
KIRO antenna system schematic blueprint
1949
2014.67.116
1/15
KIRO antenna system schematic drawing
1977
2014.67.117
1/15
KIRO antenna system schematic drawing
circa 1977
2014.67.118
1/15
Diagram of KIRO antenna
circa 1940
2014.67.119
1/16
Metsker's Map of Vashon Island showing KIRO broadcast measurements
circa 1940
2014.67.120
1/16
Map of Puget Sound region showing population density and local radio
station broadcasting range
circa 1940
Prepared by Kroll Map Company, Seattle
Business records
1949-1980
2014.67.121
1/17
KIRO Radio Station internal office communications
circa 1970s
18 pages
Business goals and objectives, audience analysis, customer and population profiles
2014.67.122
1/18
KIRO Radio Station technical notes and memos
1949
circa 1970s
22 pages
Data measurements, directional broadcast patterns, transmission operating notes
2014.67.123
1/19
FCC correspondence and application forms
1949
1975
6 pages
2014.67.124
1/20
KIRO Radio Station internal personnel files
circa 1980
12 pages
Memo about holiday bonus, Chief Engineer job description, Transmitter job evaluation
2014.67.125
1/21
KIRO Ink
1969
1972
Two issue of employee newsletter
2014.67.126
1/22
KIRO Radio Station official press releases and "20 years at KIRO"
announcements
circa 1950s-1970s
8 pages
2014.67.127
1/23
KIRO Radio Station rate cards and advertiser profiles
circa 1970
5 pages
Clippings
2014.67.128
1/24
Seattle Post-Intelligencer insert
1941 June 29
Special radio section supplement covering Seattle's KIRO Transmitting Station on Vashon-Maury Island
2014.67.129
1/24
Seattle Times article " KIRO will marry TV and radio news into one happy
family" by Joe Haberstroh
1992 June 11
2014.67.130
1/24
Seattle Times article "'Corporate Cultures' Gives Reader Inside View of a
Company" by Richard Buck
1982 August 3
Photocopy
2014.67.131
1/24
Photograph of KIRO executives and advertisers celebrating on a Northwest
Airlines plane
1941
Scrapbook
Includes staple-bound scrapbook and loose items removed from scrapbook
2014.67.132
2
Untitled scrapbook of clippings relating to the construction and
promotion of the Maury Island KIRO broadcast station, and other materials
circa 1941
13 x 20 inch
2014.67.132.1
2
KFI Radio 50th anniversary commemorative brochure
1972
Large commemorative brochure in the shape of an old time radio containing photos and description of
broadcasting highlights for southern California radio station
2014.67.132.2
VI.a.17
KIRO Radio two-sided advertising poster
circa 1945
22 x 34 inches, folded
2014.67.132.3
2
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Supplement, "Curtain Going Up on a New
Season..."
1963 September 29
23 pages
CBS television published program schedule with illustrations by Al Hirschfeld.
2014.67.132.4
2
Photograph of KIRO Gold Shield Coffee orchestra, with twelve musicians
posing with instruments in studio
circa 1940
11x14 inch
2014.67.132.5
1/25
Photograph of KIRO Gold Shield Coffee orchestra members with Max Dolin
and His Violin
circa 1940
8x10 inch
2014.67.132.6-7
1/25
Photographs of exterior and grounds of KIRO Radio Station, Maury
Island
circa 1941
8x10 inch
Forde Photographers
Sound recordings
1938-1952
16 inch discs
33 rpm
2014.67.133
5a.4.7
Gold Shield Coffee Program, 30 Minutes of Music, 7:30-8:00 PM, Parts I
and II
1938 October 28
2014.67.134
5a.4.7
Gold Shield Coffee Program, 30 Minutes of Music, 7:30-8:00 PM, Part III
1938 October 28
2014.67.135
5a.4.7
King Louie's Open House, Part 2
1940 May 24
2014.67.136
5a.4.7
KIRO Calling, KIRO Transmitter Construction, Pouring of Concrete,
Interview with Aggie Smock
1940 December 14
2014.67.137
5a.4.7
KIRO Calling, Transmitter Construction
1941 April 30
2014.67.138
5a.4.7
Betty McDonald at Seattle Book Review, Part 1
circa 1952
2014.67.139
5a.4.7
Betty McDonald at Seattle Book Review, Part 2
circa 1952
2014.67.140
5a.4.7
This is the Evergreen Empire, Program 14, Port Townsend
1946 August 2
2014.67.141
5a.4.7
This is the Evergreen Empire, Mt. Vernon
circa 1945
2014.67.142
5a.4.7
KIRO in Anacortes
circa 1945