Old Channel 11 (KGUL) Transmitter Building

[plumber2]

I stopped and took a few photos of the old Channel 11 transmitter building the other day. The tower was removed several years ago. The building is located in Galveston County on the corner of Tower Rd and Maple St. in Santa Fe. There had been a sign on the property that stated "new homesites coming soon". I have feeling that this building's days are numbered. I'm guessing it was built around 1953 or so (That is when KGUL went on the air). Channel 11 moved to Houston in 1960. Maybe FiloScotia can comment on the dates.

[sevfiv]

Neat - I'll have to get out there soon!

There is also the neat old Galveston County (water works?) building down 6 a little ways between Ave A and B..

[brucesw]

Thanks for this post. I hadn't know this was still in existence. The permit for Channel 11 had only been approved January 18, 1953, so almost certainly the building was erected that year.

By January, 1954, KGUL had signed a letter of intent to build studios on the 19th floor of the Prudential bldg. on Holcombe. Those studios would turn out to be 4 times the size of the studios in Galveston. Later that year, as Houston Consolidated Television rushed to get Channel 13 on the air out of the KNUZ-TV studios on Cullen when 39 failed, a legal battle broke out between 11 and 13 over 11's increasing activities in Houston since it was licensed primarily to Galveston. This included a move by 11 to a new tower closer to Houston according to one report but I haven't yet determined if such a move took place or when, but it's possible that facility was not in use for long.

Here's my post on the first day of KGUL-TV.

[little frau]

I am so glad to see you mention channel 39.

We got our first TV in '54 or '55 and I distinctly remember that there was a channel 39. I've mentioned it to friends here and there and none remembers 39 before the current channel we have now.

Do you have any additional information on it? There was a show called DING DONG SCHOOL that we watched before leaving for school in the mornings. It may or may not have been on 39.

[brucesw]

I don't know for sure but I don't think so. I've seen lots of newspaper listings from that era and I don't think I've ever seen any in which 39 was on the air before mid-afternoon.

Here's my post on the beginning and end of 39.

Here's the Wikipedia article on Ding Dong School which was an NBC program and should have been on Channel 2.

[rreini]

Thanks for this post. I hadn't know this was still in existence. The permit for Channel 11 had only been approved January 18, 1953, so almost certainly the building was erected that year.

By January, 1954, KGUL had signed a letter of intent to build studios on the 19th floor of the Prudential bldg. on Holcombe. Those studios would turn out to be 4 times the size of the studios in Galveston. Later that year, as Houston Consolidated Television rushed to get Channel 13 on the air out of the KNUZ-TV studios on Cullen when 39 failed, a legal battle broke out between 11 and 13 over 11's increasing activities in Houston since it was licensed primarily to Galveston. This included a move by 11 to a new tower closer to Houston according to one report but I haven't yet determined if such a move took place or when, but it's possible that facility was not in use for long.

Here's my post on the first day of KGUL-TV.

Didn't the transmitter move to Friendswood for a while -- more specifically, between Friendswood and Alvin on FM 528, fairly close to the Galveston-Brazoria county line? This tower was used by Channel 8 for many years afterward.

[brucesw]

Didn't the transmitter move to Friendswood for a while -- more specifically, between Friendswood and Alvin on FM 528, fairly close to the Galveston-Brazoria county line? This tower was used by Channel 8 for many years afterward.

I think the one you're referring to was the one we passed on our way to Galveston from Brazosport long before 2004 was put in. I think the move took place only a year or so after they went on the air because they just weren't getting good coverage of Houston from that little stick at Arcadia. And they stayed on the Friendswood stick until they moved over to the candelabra off 288 (now 521) with 2. That's the way I remember it, including the part about 8, but I haven't found anything to confirm it.