Radio Station KGA
Radio station KGA has a long history beginning in 1927 with its studios in the Old National Bank Building in Downtown Spokane and transmitter on the northside of Spokane where the Lidgerwood Elementary School is located to its current studio location on 57th Avenue on Moran Prairie and current transmitter site in Spangle under the ownership of Mapleton Broadcasting. Although the station has had several owners, notably Louis Wasmer and Gonzaga University, has changed frequency several times, and has had its studio and transmitter site changed over the years, including the old insurance building on W. Riverside, which is now being used by the Spokane Catholic Diocese, it has retained the same set of call letters over the years. In fact, the call letters KGA have been continuously used on AM longer in Spokane than any other set of call letters.
Listen to some neat historical audio clips of KGA. Click here.
Click on the following pictures to see a little bit about KGA's history.
KGA's Lidgerwood Transmitter Site. The transmitter
was housed here from 1927 to the early 1940's. Click on the
thumbnail for more information about this transmitter site.
KGA Insurance building West Riverside
Avenue Insurance Building Studio from the 1930's. Now the
home to the Spokane Catholic Diocese.
Mr. Wasmer
and his engineering staff at the transmitter building. This is
likely at the first Moran Prarie Site, at 40th and Regal.
According to the caption in the picture, from left to right, back
row; Paul Boberg, Bill Evans, Edward Grady, Merwin Planting,
Louis Wasmer; front row; Henry Sturtevant and Art Schwartz.
Bob Phillips announcing
at KGA around 1962. This is when KGA was at the 6200 South Regal
Street site. Bob was an announcer at KREM-TV and still does
"recorded" bits although he is retired. (Courtesy of
Paul Quam and used by permission. Text by Paul.)
KGA Current Studios Current KGA studio on 57th and
Helena on Spokane's Moran Prairie. This is the old KNEW-KJRB
studio building and now where all of the Citadel Communications
stations in Spokane are now located.
This is a survey sheet from KGA dated 14
June 1968, courtesy of Bruce Portzer. KGA was a Top 40 radio
station for about one year in the late 1960's.
KGA's current transmitter site in Spangle,
Washington, shared with KJRB.
KGA's Chronological History from FCC archives compiled by Xen
Scott.
Compiled and edited by Bill Harms - updated 18 September 2008
