Hillsboro wireless tower

Infobox Historic building
name=Hillsboro wireless tower


caption=
map_type=
latitude=
longitude=
location_town=Hillsboro, Oregon
location_country=United States
architect=
client=Federal Telegraph Company
engineer=J.L. Miller
construction_start_date=1920
completion_date=1921
date_demolished=1952
cost=$300,000
structural_system=
style=steel tower
size=626 feet tallThe Hillsboro wireless tower was a wireless telegraph station constructed in 1921 just south of Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Located adjacent to what is now Meriwether National Golf Club, at the time it was the second tallest steel tower in the world after France’s Eiffel Tower. It was torn down in 1952.

History

Federal Telegraph Company built a wireless station south of Hillsboro with completion of the project coming in 1921.Horner, John B. (1921). "Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature". The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland.] Site selection was in 1920 and dedication came on May 11 1921 with a crowd of 500 and the Hillsboro mayor in attendance.World’s second-largest tower relayed wireless messages. "Hillsboro Argus", October 19, 1976.] Built on 330 acres the station had one large tower at a height of 626 feet surrounded by eight shorter towers arranged in a circle around the main tower in the center. Workers dug out 14 feet deep concrete bases to secure the towers under the guidance of the engineer J. L. Miller. Constructed of steel, the station cost $300,000 to build.

By 1938 the station was owned by Mackay Radio & Telegraph Company, a subsidiary of International Telephone & Telegraph Corporation. Then during World War II the United States government took over the operations. It was then operated by the United States Coast Guard. In 1951 the station was abandoned and subsequently torn down in 1952.

Details

The tower was operated remotely from Portland, Oregon and was capable of sending telegraph message as far away as Asia and Europe. The eight smaller towers were 1,500 feet from the central tower. Utilizing short-wave radio signals, the station would transmit point-to-point to regional transmitters such as in San Francisco, California or directly to ships at sea. On site was also a large concrete building 60 feet by 80 feet and 20 feet tall. In addition to this building there was a transmitting station on Council Crest in Portland and the main office was in the Postal Building in downtown Portland. This downtown building is where all messages were received and relayed. The cables supporting the towers were one and one-quarter inch in diameter.

References