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Re: [TowerTalk] Oldest Free Standing Amateur Tower? W4EM, Memphis TN

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Oldest Free Standing Amateur Tower? W4EM, Memphis TN
From: N4ZR <n4zr@comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2020 13:15:53 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Frankly, I'm curious why it is still there. Bart, why not stop by and ask the owners? The house shows signs of a significant evolution over the years, essentially doubling its footprint.  I like towers as much as the next guy, but you'd think this one would have been taken down by now.

73, Pete N4ZR
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On 2/29/2020 4:55 PM, Bart Campbell wrote:
Paul,

Thank you for sharing this.  I have lived in Memphis or its surrounding
area since 1983, and have seen that tower many times and wondered about its
history.  It is, indeed, still standing (I drove past it only two days
ago).  It is incredible that it is still standing, not only because of its
age but that it has survived the modern era's lack of appreciation for the
work of art that tower really is!  Its survival may be in part to that
area's status as a historic district so, ironically, it may be protected
due to its age.

73,
Bart, NS4X


On Sat, Feb 29, 2020 at 3:05 PM Paul Christensen <w9ac@arrl.net> wrote:

I collect old QSL cards, most of which date from the early 1920s when card
exchange became popular.  I recently spotted a card that's currently on
eBay.  The card shows the station of W. Wright Mitchell, W4EM, of Memphis
TN
and is dated January, 1934.  For those interested, have a look at the
left-most tower on the QSL card.

Next, Google "1455 Peabody Ave, Memphis TN."  Take a peek beyond the trees
at the street intersection.  Incredibly, the tower is still standing, in
its
original form 85+ years later.  The tower formed one support of what
appears
to be an OCF dipole, fed with open transmission line.   I believe the tower
actually dates to about 1931 based on another card I've seen.  If true, the
tower has been standing almost 90 years.

Paul, W9AC

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