[BC] Re: WABC on Columbia Island

[Kevin Tekel]

Fred Gleason wrote:
> It was off of River Road in Bound Brook NJ, right on the border with
> Piscataway.  I grew up about two miles from the site, and can dimly
> remember the its being decommissioned in the mid/late 60s (I was around
> five years old at the time).  I don't know if it was still the primary
> site up to that time, or just being maintained as a backup.

The River Road site, near the Union Carbide plant which still exists
(although a few years ago they finally tore down the large smokestack with
"BAKELITE" painted on it), was also used for WNBC's commercial shortwave
broadcasts, whose facilities were turned over to the government during
WWII, for use by the VOA until their Greenville site was constructed in
the early '60s.

Topographical maps still show the towers at the River Road site
(identified as "WNBC Radio Towers").  Also shown is a huge arrage of 12
towers, spanning more than a mile from end to end, on the other side of
River Road in Franklin Township.  This may also have been part of the VOA
transmission facilities, or may have been for some other government
communications during the WWII and/or Cold War era.  It, too, has long
since been replaced by housing developments.  I doubt any evidence still
exists, except perhaps for a few concrete tower bases in people's
backyards.


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