Alabama Historical Radio Society: Difference between revisions
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'''Alabama Historical Radio Society''' is a non-profit organization which promotes knowledge about and appreciation of vintage radio equipment and broadcasting. The group meets weekly at the [[Alabama Power East Jefferson Service Center]] at 9837 [[Parkway East]] and operates the '''Don Kresge Memorial Museum''', a showcase of historic radio equipment and memorabilia in the [[Alabama Power Building]] at 600 [[18th Street North]] in [[downtown Birmingham]]. | '''Alabama Historical Radio Society''' is a non-profit organization which promotes knowledge about and appreciation of vintage radio equipment and broadcasting. The group meets weekly at the [[Alabama Power East Jefferson Service Center]] at 9837 [[Parkway East]] and operates the '''Don Kresge Memorial Museum''', a showcase of historic radio equipment and memorabilia in the [[Alabama Power Building]] at 600 [[18th Street North]] in [[downtown Birmingham]]. | ||
The | The Alabama Historical Radio Society (AHRS) was founded in June of 1989 and chartered by the state of Alabama as a non profit corporation by Don Kresge, a retired General Electric Company engineer and resident of Birmingham. The society was formed to provide an opportunity for people of all ages to join together and pursue their interest in vintage broadcast radio. Whether a person enjoys listening to music, old radio broadcasts, or actually restoring old radios, the society has a place for them. | ||
The Society maintains a radio museum display in the lobby of the Alabama Power Building on 18th Street in downtown Birmingham, Alabama where visitors can view restored vintage radio and related equipment, including the only known surviving copy of the “Superflex” radio. The Superflex is a broadcast radio receiver, manufactured in 1927 by the Radio Products Corporation, a company headquartered in north Birmingham, Alabama. | |||
Currently the Society meets monthly at their facility in Huffman in east Birmingham. The generously donated space also houses a large library of reference materials including books on various radio related topics, an archive of documents, oral histories, photographs technical manuals on vintage radios, a complete radio restoration shop and other memorabilia relating to Birmingham broadcast radio stations and radio personalities. | |||
The archives contain extensive material on WSY, (We Serve You) the first broadcast radio station in Alabama. This station was owned and operated by Alabama Power Company and was located in the Loveman’s Department store building (now the site of the McWane Center) in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. The station was moved to the campus of the Alabama Polytechnical Institute in Auburn, Alabama (now Auburn University) and the call sign was changed to WAPI. This station was later moved back to the top of Red Mountain in Birmingham. | |||
The Alabama Historical Radio Society members provides other opportunities to the members and community including “shop days” where members can share knowledge, work on projects, research answers to specific radio related questions, analyze schematics, read about the history of a particular radio model, or locate a part needed for a radio restoration. The group conducts formal classes on electronic restoration, vacuum tube radio construction and repair, and even cabinet refinishing for the wooden cased models. Also, the group members prepare and present programs to local area civic groups to raise awareness and foster interest in this vital part of Birmingham entertainment history. The group welcomes people of all ages who are interested in learning more about vintage radios; whether it is someone who wishes to rebuild an antique radio or simply trying to research an old radio which might be in the family. | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 16:00, 28 November 2009
Alabama Historical Radio Society is a non-profit organization which promotes knowledge about and appreciation of vintage radio equipment and broadcasting. The group meets weekly at the Alabama Power East Jefferson Service Center at 9837 Parkway East and operates the Don Kresge Memorial Museum, a showcase of historic radio equipment and memorabilia in the Alabama Power Building at 600 18th Street North in downtown Birmingham.
The Alabama Historical Radio Society (AHRS) was founded in June of 1989 and chartered by the state of Alabama as a non profit corporation by Don Kresge, a retired General Electric Company engineer and resident of Birmingham. The society was formed to provide an opportunity for people of all ages to join together and pursue their interest in vintage broadcast radio. Whether a person enjoys listening to music, old radio broadcasts, or actually restoring old radios, the society has a place for them. The Society maintains a radio museum display in the lobby of the Alabama Power Building on 18th Street in downtown Birmingham, Alabama where visitors can view restored vintage radio and related equipment, including the only known surviving copy of the “Superflex” radio. The Superflex is a broadcast radio receiver, manufactured in 1927 by the Radio Products Corporation, a company headquartered in north Birmingham, Alabama. Currently the Society meets monthly at their facility in Huffman in east Birmingham. The generously donated space also houses a large library of reference materials including books on various radio related topics, an archive of documents, oral histories, photographs technical manuals on vintage radios, a complete radio restoration shop and other memorabilia relating to Birmingham broadcast radio stations and radio personalities. The archives contain extensive material on WSY, (We Serve You) the first broadcast radio station in Alabama. This station was owned and operated by Alabama Power Company and was located in the Loveman’s Department store building (now the site of the McWane Center) in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. The station was moved to the campus of the Alabama Polytechnical Institute in Auburn, Alabama (now Auburn University) and the call sign was changed to WAPI. This station was later moved back to the top of Red Mountain in Birmingham. The Alabama Historical Radio Society members provides other opportunities to the members and community including “shop days” where members can share knowledge, work on projects, research answers to specific radio related questions, analyze schematics, read about the history of a particular radio model, or locate a part needed for a radio restoration. The group conducts formal classes on electronic restoration, vacuum tube radio construction and repair, and even cabinet refinishing for the wooden cased models. Also, the group members prepare and present programs to local area civic groups to raise awareness and foster interest in this vital part of Birmingham entertainment history. The group welcomes people of all ages who are interested in learning more about vintage radios; whether it is someone who wishes to rebuild an antique radio or simply trying to research an old radio which might be in the family.
External links
- Alabama Historical Radio Society website