“In future ages historians will scan the record to determine when radio transmission became general and popular and will fix the date not far from 1922.”
“This is the era of radio,” wrote Addison Sheldon in the June 1922 issue of The Nebraska Teacher. Sheldon was the superintendent of the Nebraska State Historical Society (today’s History Nebraska), and he looked at events with an eye toward history.
“In future ages historians will scan the record to determine when radio transmission became general and popular and will fix the date not far from 1922. During the past months transmission of speeches, concerts, weather and market news have spread until scarcely a village in Nebraska does not have its group of radio outfits. Every night communications from the gulf coast, the Atlantic and Pacific are caught by enterprising radio experts.”
Above, by 1924 the Burlington Railroad was broadcasting from its “Pure Bred Sires Special” train, shown here in Red Cloud on October 20. Railroads sponsored traveling educational exhibits to promote the latest livestock practices and technology; radio further extended their reach.
–David L. Bristow, Editor
(Photo: History Nebraska RG1431-0-4075. Posted 9/7/2022)
