WITI TV Tower
Encyclopedia
The WITI Tower in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
was completed in August 1962 and was briefly the tallest free-standing tower
in the world, rising 1078 feet (328.6 m). (Tokyo Tower
had been the world's tallest, and after the construction of WITI's tower, it added additional members to regain the title.) For many years, it was the tallest free-standing tower in the United States
. The Bentley Company was the foundation contractor
for the Dresser
Ideco tower, which was erected by the Seago Construction Co.
The tower was built at the same time the FCC relaxed some guidelines on station co-location. In 1956 WITI came to the air, but due to WOC-TV
of Davenport, Iowa
also being on channel 6, WITI was determined to interfere with small portions of WOC-TV's market area. WITI thus launched being licensed to the North Shore suburb of Whitefish Bay
with a tower located in Ozaukee County in the then-Town of Mequon
. This provided disadvantages to WITI because viewers in the area had to aim their antennas more northward or northeastward in order to receive WITI, where the city's other stations were centrally located north of downtown. WITI campaigned the FCC to locate in Milwaukee, and finally was successful in doing so in 1962.
The village of Shorewood
, Wisconsin
allowed WITI to build the tower on a piece of privately-owned land that might have completed Estabrook Parkway along the Milwaukee River
. Doing so added to the village's tax
base. The WTMJ-TV
and WISN-TV
towers were nearby, and locating the tower there meant that Milwaukee
TV
viewers could point their antennas
in the same general direction. However, there was no room for guy-wire
s on the property, and as such the tower had to be free-standing. In August 1962, construction of a 1078 feet (328.6 m) tower at East Capitol Drive and Estabrook Parkway was completed. It was formally dedicated on 9 October 1962. Milwaukee Public Television
leased space on the tower for WMVS and WMVT until a move to WVTV's tower in 1981 (eventually moving to the new digital-ready MPTV Tower in 1999), while WUWM-FM (89.7) continues to transmit from the tower.
WITI was looking for a way to make the tower a Milwaukee landmark, and in October 1963, the station received permission from the Shorewood village board to install lights on it. Shortly thereafter, approximately 2000 25 watt
lights were installed. Station manager Roger LeGrand then coined the phrase "Milwaukee's Tower of Light". Some neighbors objected. The Shorewood village attorney opined that the lighted "6" sign might violate the village's lighted sign ordinance, but that the lights affixed to the tower's legs were legal. The village later declared the lights and the sign to be legal. (Except for special requests - such as to aid navigation
on Lake Michigan
during sailing
races - the tower was only lit from dusk until midnight.)
The lights stayed on until the energy crisis of 1973-74
, when at the suggestion of a viewer they were turned off. They were finally removed in 2003 when the station began converting the tower for digital TV
.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
was completed in August 1962 and was briefly the tallest free-standing tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
in the world, rising 1078 feet (328.6 m). (Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower
is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At , it is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations.Built in...
had been the world's tallest, and after the construction of WITI's tower, it added additional members to regain the title.) For many years, it was the tallest free-standing tower in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Bentley Company was the foundation contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
for the Dresser
Dresser Industries
Dresser Industries was a multinational corporation headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States, which provided a wide range of technology, products, and services used for developing energy and natural resources...
Ideco tower, which was erected by the Seago Construction Co.
The tower was built at the same time the FCC relaxed some guidelines on station co-location. In 1956 WITI came to the air, but due to WOC-TV
KWQC-TV
KWQC-TV, virtual channel 6 , is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Quad Cities television market . It is licensed to Davenport and is owned by Young Broadcasting...
of Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
also being on channel 6, WITI was determined to interfere with small portions of WOC-TV's market area. WITI thus launched being licensed to the North Shore suburb of Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Whitefish Bay is a village in Milwaukee County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,508 as of the 2005 census.-Geography:Whitefish Bay is located at ....
with a tower located in Ozaukee County in the then-Town of Mequon
Mequon, Wisconsin
Mequon is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It had a population of 21,823 at the 2000 census, and an estimated population of 23,739 in July 2009...
. This provided disadvantages to WITI because viewers in the area had to aim their antennas more northward or northeastward in order to receive WITI, where the city's other stations were centrally located north of downtown. WITI campaigned the FCC to locate in Milwaukee, and finally was successful in doing so in 1962.
The village of Shorewood
Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,763 at the 2000 census. Howell Raines of The New York Times said in 1979 that "[t]his maplestudded town on Lake Michigan dotes on its reputation as Milwaukee's most liberal suburb."-Geography:Shorewood is...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
allowed WITI to build the tower on a piece of privately-owned land that might have completed Estabrook Parkway along the Milwaukee River
Milwaukee River
The Milwaukee River is a river in the state of Wisconsin. It is about long.- Description :The river begins in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin and flows south past Grafton to downtown Milwaukee, where it empties into Lake Michigan...
. Doing so added to the village's tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
base. The WTMJ-TV
WTMJ-TV
WTMJ-TV, digital channel 28 ; branded as "Today's TMJ4", is the NBC-affiliated television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the flagship station of the Journal Broadcast Group. Its signal covers most of southeastern Wisconsin and parts of northeastern Illinois, including Racine, Kenosha,...
and WISN-TV
WISN-TV
WISN-TV, virtual channel 12.1 , is a television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin serving as an affiliate of the ABC television network. Its signal covers most of southeastern Wisconsin and parts of northeastern Illinois, including Racine, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Waukesha...
towers were nearby, and locating the tower there meant that Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
viewers could point their antennas
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
in the same general direction. However, there was no room for guy-wire
Guy-wire
A guy-wire or guy-rope, also known as simply a guy, is a tensioned cable designed to add stability to structures . One end of the cable is attached to the structure, and the other is anchored to the ground at a distance from the structure's base...
s on the property, and as such the tower had to be free-standing. In August 1962, construction of a 1078 feet (328.6 m) tower at East Capitol Drive and Estabrook Parkway was completed. It was formally dedicated on 9 October 1962. Milwaukee Public Television
Milwaukee Public Television
For information on Channels 10 and 36 individually, see WMVS and WMVTMilwaukee Public Television is the branding name for the alliance between two Milwaukee based Public Broadcasting Service public television affiliates: WMVS, Channel 10, and WMVT, Channel 36...
leased space on the tower for WMVS and WMVT until a move to WVTV's tower in 1981 (eventually moving to the new digital-ready MPTV Tower in 1999), while WUWM-FM (89.7) continues to transmit from the tower.
WITI was looking for a way to make the tower a Milwaukee landmark, and in October 1963, the station received permission from the Shorewood village board to install lights on it. Shortly thereafter, approximately 2000 25 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
lights were installed. Station manager Roger LeGrand then coined the phrase "Milwaukee's Tower of Light". Some neighbors objected. The Shorewood village attorney opined that the lighted "6" sign might violate the village's lighted sign ordinance, but that the lights affixed to the tower's legs were legal. The village later declared the lights and the sign to be legal. (Except for special requests - such as to aid navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
during sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
races - the tower was only lit from dusk until midnight.)
The lights stayed on until the energy crisis of 1973-74
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, when at the suggestion of a viewer they were turned off. They were finally removed in 2003 when the station began converting the tower for digital TV
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
.
External links
- History of Milwaukee television
- http://www.skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=47199
- Fall 2009 Tower Work Images