The building at 808 South Main Street was the first home to WKOA Radio, now WHVO radio, when it signed on the air in 1954 (Google Map Image)
As construction crews work this week to demolish a pair of buildings on South Main Street that were deemed uninhabitable and unsafe, one of the buildings holds special memories to a group of radio veterans who got their start in the industry there.
Retired broadcaster and local radio historian Boyd Clark said WKOA-AM signed on the air on September 19, 1954 on the second floor of the building at 808 South Main Street.
click to download audioClark said the studios were in downtown Hopkinsville while the tower was in another part of town.
click to download audioIn addition to Clark, many broadcasters got their start or used WKOA 1480-AM as a steeping stone in their radio careers.
click to download audioThe building at 808 South Main was over 130 years old and was the Holland Opera House when it first opened. The City of Hopkinsville declared the buildings at 806 through 812 South Main Street unsafe in January and approved an emergency demolition order last month. The cost of the contract to East Construction Company is for $388,110.
While the buildings fell into a state of severe neglect in recent years, it’s not the first time there were structural issues.
click to download audio1480 AM broadcast as WKOA until 1986 when the call letters were changed to WYKH. A year later, they were changed again to WQKS. In 2000, 1480-AM began broadcasting as WHVO which is an acronym for Hoptown’s Very Own.
