WITI TV Tower facts for kids

Quick facts for kids WITI TV Tower
The WITI TV Tower seen from the Benjamin Church house.
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Steel lattice television tower
Location	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Coordinates	43°05′26″N 87°53′50″W / 43.09056°N 87.89722°W / 43.09056; -87.89722
Completed	1962
Height	329.4 m (1,081 ft)

The WITI TV Tower is a very tall metal tower with a criss-cross design, called a lattice tower. It is located in Shorewood, Wisconsin. This tower sends out signals for several TV and radio stations in the Milwaukee area. It also helps with cell phone and wireless communication.

The tower is owned by Fox Television Stations, which also owns the TV station WITI (channel 6). Built in 1962, the tower is about 1,081 feet (329.4 meters) tall. For many years, it was the tallest free-standing tower in the United States. This changed when the Stratosphere Tower was built in 1996. The WITI TV Tower is still the tallest lattice tower in the country. It is also the tallest three-sided lattice tower in the world.

Building the WITI TV Tower

A view of the tower from its base

The WITI TV Tower was built after new rules made it easier for TV stations to share tower locations. In 1956, WITI started broadcasting as an independent TV station. However, it had problems with its signal interfering with other channel 6 stations. These issues were with stations in Lansing, Michigan, and Davenport, Iowa.

To fix these problems, WITI first built a tower in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. This was north of Milwaukee. But this location made it harder for people in Milwaukee to get a clear signal. They had to point their TV antennas north. Other Milwaukee stations were located more centrally.

In 1958, a company called Storer Broadcasting bought WITI. They wanted to move the station's main office and transmitter to Milwaukee. In 1962, they finally got permission to do this. The best place for the new tower was on Milwaukee's north side. The south side had Mitchell International Airport, which prevented tall towers.

Choosing the Tower's Location

Most good spots in Milwaukee were already taken by other radio and TV stations. So, WITI had to build its new tower just outside Milwaukee. They found a spot in the nearby village of Shorewood. This land was privately owned and helped the village earn property tax money.

The new tower location was great because other major TV towers were nearby. The WTMJ-TV/FM tower was just across the river. The WISN-TV/FM tower was also close by. This meant viewers in Milwaukee could point their antennas in the same general direction.

A challenge for the tower's design was the Milwaukee River next to the property. Because guy wires (support cables) could not go into the parkland or river, the tower had to be built to stand on its own. It did not need extra support wires. The construction of the tower was finished in August 1962. It was officially opened on October 9, 1962.

Milwaukee's Tower of Light

After the tower was built, Storer Broadcasting wanted it to be a landmark. In October 1963, they got permission to add special lights to the tower. About 2,000 lights were installed, each 25 watts. The station manager called it "Milwaukee's Tower of Light."

The lights usually stayed on from sunset until midnight. Sometimes, they were kept on longer to help boats navigate on Lake Michigan. However, the lights were turned off permanently during the energy crisis of 1973-74. They were also expensive to maintain. Ice would form on the tower in winter and spring, breaking the light bulbs. The lights and a giant "6" sign were removed in 2003 when the tower was updated for digital broadcasting.

Stations Using the Tower

Many different TV and radio stations use the WITI TV Tower to send out their signals. This includes public broadcasting and religious stations.

Television Stations

FM Radio Stations