WSM Tower

Erected in 1932 by the Blaw Knox Steel Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the WSM tower, a diamond-shaped, vertical antenna, originally stood at 878 feet outside of Nashville before the city of Brentwood existed. At the time of its erection, it was the tallest tower in the United States. In 1939, due to restraints on transmissions, engineers reduced the tower's height by 70 feet, leaving it at 808 feet at it is today. During World War II, it served as a communicator from shore to ship and submarines. Its primary legacy is linked to the music and entertainment industries: most notably the Grand Ole Opry. Since its birth in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry has been broadcasted over the WSM channel, and is the longest-running live radio program in history. Spanning over 30 states, the WSM Tower broadcasted country music, bluegrass, and gospel to hundreds of thousands of listeners, skyrocketing the Grand Ole Opry's popularity and continues to this day. In 2011, the tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places.