Where Was The First Radio Broadcast in Youngstown?

[AllanY2525]

Based on what I saw while photographing this property, the house is still in remarkably good
condition - at least structurally.  Most of the woodwork is still there, AND intact.  Most of
the old windows and doors are still there, etc.  I did not go into the basement, so I don't
know if the furnace, wiring, etc are still in the house.


The auditor's website shows that the property has been downgraded to a net value of only
$7,800.00.  The State of Ohio currently has custody of this home (foreclosure) but there
are no "back taxes" due according to the auditor's website.

I'd venture to say that someone could probably pick this home up for about $1,500.00 and
fix it up.  I would do it myself, but I don't have the money at present.

[Towntalk]

Jay:

I've seen houses that were in worst shape than this house restored. On This Old House, the team has been restoring a townhouse that had been completely gutted by fire leaving only the shell.

The question that I ask is ... what kind of neighborhood is this street? Are the people living there keeping up their properties? Just how many actually own their homes?

Just where on the block is this house?

If it was declared a historic landmark, there are funds available, and perhaps the Historic Society could convince the This Old House team to take the project on which would mean that much of the material needed would be either be donated or purchased at a very low price in exchange for the publicity.

I understand the Director of the Historical Society is a member of this group, and hopefully he could give us some input.

Certainly I would like to see it saved if possable.

[jay]

Based on the criteria in the city today, I'd say the house is a candidate for demolition.   This is another example of how the criminal element shapes our neighborhoods and our city.  A burglary caused the resident to move away and leave the home empty.  The thieves then stripped the house and removed its contents.

Thank you, Allan, for taking the photos.

[Towntalk]

Some questions and some thoughts:

1. What kind of neighborhood is this house in?
2. Just how bad is the condition of the house?

I ask these questions because this house would be a great candidate for restoration by the MVHS, the Youngstown Board of Education and YSU/WYSU.

I doubt that WKBN would be a willing participant, but because Mr. Williamson was a 27 year member of the Board of Education, a long time member of the Historical Society and a YSU supporter, there would ber good reason for them to collaborate in it's restoration as a historical site.

[AllanY2525]

Here's the last couple photos I took... the garage is demolished, nothing but a
pile of rubble and roofing shingles in the driveway now.  I did not see any sign
of the old radio antenna...a friend of mine said he saw the house 8 or 10 years
ago and at that time, the radio antenna was still in the yard behind the house.

It would be great if WKBN could buy this property and restore it...as a historical
treasure.


Allan

[AllanY2525]

More photos of the Warren P. Williamson, Jr. residence at No. 26 East Auburndale Avenue...

[AllanY2525]

I took a ride up to East Auburndale Avenue this afternoon and found Warren
P. Williamson, Jr's residence - still standing, but much the worse for wear
and tear.  It's a shame that the home has been allowed to fall into ruin.

I spoke with a couple of kids from the neighborhood and they told me
that the lady that last lived in the house had been robbed, and that
she just left and never even came back to move her belongings, etc
out of the house.

[AllanY2525]

Here is a scan of the 1926 Burch's City Directory of Youngstown, Ohio
showing Warren P. Williamson's address on Auburndale Avenue.

[AllanY2525]

If the Williamson family home still exists, I think it should be made into a radio
and TV museum - yet another piece of Youngstown's rich heritage that visitors
could stop in and see - and a way to generate a little revenue for the city, etc.

My dad was a HAM radio operator when I was a kid growing up - it used to
fascinate me when he would fire up his old, vacuum-tube (and home grown)
radio equipment.

[jay]

Thanks for the information.  I'll try to visit the library later this week to find where he lived on Auburndale in 1926.  Auburndale is located on the south side of Youngtown and runs between Market Street to South Avenue.

[Towntalk]

FROM THE YOUNGSTOWN VINDICATOR - JULY 28, 1996 -- OBITS

WARREN P. WILLIAMSON Jr. 96

FOUNDED WKBN; known as broadcast pioneer

[OMIT]

The first radio broadcast in the Mahoning Valley came from Mr. Williamson's house on Auburndale Avenue in 1926 ....

The obit also pointed out that the Williamson family came to Youngstown in 1797 which makes the family one of the very early settlers in Youngstown.

At the time of Mr. Williamson's death he was living at 4126 Stratford Road.

[Towntalk]

Jay:

I would suggest that you e-mail your question to WKBN - radio. Dan Rivers would be able to get that information for you. I searched my WKBN files and couldn't come up with the exact house number or street that the house was located on. In searching the Howard Aley book, the material there was all WRONG. The oral history transcript of Mr. Williamson's long time private secretary does not give the location of the Williamson home, but does give a good history of the station's history which I have posted elsewhere.

[jay]

Does anyone have access to a City Directory from the mid 1920s?

[Towntalk]

I would also say Williamson also. It was set up in the basement of the house. One year later WKBN moved into beautiful studios in the YMCA building where it remained until the 1950's when it was moved out to Sunset Blvd. to where the radio transmitter was located, the building was expanded and Television was added. [Source: WKBN - TV web site]

On Friday morning, WKBN will be broadcasting from the Arms Museum and the public is invited.

By the way, the Williamson family was very active in Youngstown. Mr. Williamson's father was one of ther owners of the Youngstown Carrage Co. where the Mahoning automobile was built, Mr. Williamson himself was a long time member of the Youngstown Board of Education. His son, the current Mr. Williamson started a cellular telephone company.

[AllanY2525]

Maybe it was somewhere on Williamson Avenue? (South Side).

This is ONLY a guess....


Allan