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Image 1 of 3: The WMS Transmission Complex was built in 1932. The "diamond" tower allowed the radio station as one of the nation's federally designated clear channels to broadcast to forty states a program of music, news, and public service geared to largely a rural and small town audience. It was one of the original stations that served a military/civil defense role in the CONELRAD system during the Cold War era, beginning 1951. It stands at 808 feet. Originally constructed at 878 feet in 1932, it was lowered by 70 feet in 1939 to improve radio transmission and reception. It was third of four of its kind in the world. The WSM Tower is the oldest surviving intact example of this type of radio tower in the world. Photograph was taken by Dr. Carroll van West in 2011. Image courtesy of the Center of Historic Preservation.
The WMS Transmission Complex was built in 1932. The "diamond" tower allowed the radio station as one of the nation's federally designated clear channels to broadcast to forty states a program of music, news, and public service geared to largely a rural and small town audience. It was one of the original stations that served a military/civil defense role in the CONELRAD system during the Cold War era, beginning 1951. It stands at 808 feet. Originally constructed at 878 feet in 1932, it was lowered by 70 feet in 1939 to improve radio transmission and reception. It was third of four of its kind in the world. The WSM Tower is the oldest surviving intact example of this type of radio tower in the world. Photograph was taken by Dr. Carroll van West in 2011. Image courtesy of the Center of Historic Preservation.
The WMS Transmission Complex was built in 1932. The "diamond" tower allowed the radio station as one of the nation's federally designated clear channels to broadcast to forty states a program of music, news, and public service geared to largely a rural and small town audience. It was one of the original stations that served a military/civil defense role in the CONELRAD system during the Cold War era, beginning 1951. The tower is the tallest Blaw-Knox Diamond Radio Tower in North America, one of six similarly designed to have once existed in North America. Colonial Revival design by Russell Hart, of the locally prominent architectural firm of Hart, Freeland, Roberts. Photograph taken by Dr. Carroll van West in 2011. Image courtesy of the Center of Historic Preservation.
Postcard showing the WSM Radio Tower in the 1930s. Image courtesy of Nashville Public Library Special Collections.

The WMS Transmission Complex was built in 1932. The "diamond" tower allowed the radio station as one of the nation's federally designated clear channels to broadcast to forty states a program of music, news, and public service geared to largely a rural and small town audience. It was one of the original stations that served a military/civil defense role in the CONELRAD system during the Cold War era, beginning 1951. It stands at 808 feet. Originally constructed at 878 feet in 1932, it was lowered by 70 feet in 1939 to improve radio transmission and reception. It was third of four of its kind in the world. The WSM Tower is the oldest surviving intact example of this type of radio tower in the world. Photograph was taken by Dr. Carroll van West in 2011. Image courtesy of the Center of Historic Preservation.

Grand Ole Opry

Stop 9 of 9

Current WSM Tower and Conclusion (Optional)

Just off I-65 in Brentwood rises an iconic 808-foot red-and-white beacon: the WSM transmission tower. Built in 1932 by the Blaw-Knox Company to replace the original towers in Edgehill, this engineering marvel transformed WSM into a broadcasting powerhouse.

Originally 878 feet tall, it was the tallest radio tower in the world. But engineers soon realized the extra height actually reduced its range, so they shortened it by 70 feet—achieving the perfect balance for a strong, far-reaching signal. The result? A crystal-clear 50,000-watt transmission that could be heard coast to coast.

At the base of the tower sits a Colonial Revival-style station building—a surprising touch of elegance for such a utilitarian site. During World War II, the U.S. War Department designated the tower as a backup communication link for submarines, underscoring its national importance.

But the WSM tower’s greatest legacy lies in what it broadcast: country music. With this powerful signal, the Grand Ole Opry reached living rooms across America—and beyond. Today, the Opry can be heard from New York to California and into Canada and Mexico.

This nationwide reach was a game-changer. It brought country music—once a regional sound rooted in the South—into the American mainstream. Artists like Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, and Hank Williams became household names. The tower didn’t just beam out music—it built audiences and shaped culture. While the site isn’t open to the public, the WSM tower is still a sight to behold. If you're nearby, don’t miss the chance to snap a photo.

Complete Tour
Tour Stops
1

Birth of the Grand Ole Opry

312 Rosa L Parks Ave, Nashville,TN, 37219

2

War Memorial Auditorium

301 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243

3

Hillsboro-Belcourt Theatre

2102 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee, 37212

4

Belmont University and Minnie Pearl

1900 Belmont Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37212

5

Music Row

34 Music Square East, Nashville, TN 37203

6

Edgehill and DeFord Bailey

1314 Horton Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212

7

Ryman Auditorium

116 Fifth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219

8

The Grand Ole Opry House

600 Opry Mills Dr. Nashville, TN 37214

9

Current WSM Tower and Conclusion (Optional)

8056 Concord Rd. Brentwood, TN 37027

Full Record & Citation
Title WSM Tower
Creator Nashville Historical Foundation
Author Abby Hikade, NHF Intern; 2024
Date 1932; 1939
Address 8056 Concord Rd. Brentwood, TN 37027
Description 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.
Type Landscape
Coverage Area 10
Source Blaw Knox Steel Company, construction company
Contributor WSM Radio; Grand Ole Opry; National Life and Accident Insurance Company
Subject New South; Wartime; Entertainment; Music; Science and Technology
Keywords Grand Ole Opry, Radio, Radio Show, WSM, Country Music, National Register of Historic Places, Broadcast Tower, Brentwood, World War II, Engineering, News Broadcast, Tower Turning House
Rights CC BY-NC 4.0
Relation https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=234959
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