1926 Earliest radio in Brownsville got start from top of El Jardin Hotel

by Jose Cazares

On December 29, 1926-The piano belonging to radio station KWWG was hoisted to the roof of Hotel El Jardin with a block and tackle, the elevator in the hotel was not large enough for the piano. Here is a photograph of the piano inside the KWWG studio on top of the Hotel El Jardin in 1927.

 The electric sign gracing the top of the Hotel El Jardin was turned on in December 7, 1926. The word " Hotel" was spelled out with unfrosted white globes and the words " El Jardin" were spelled out with blue globes. It could be seen for many miles.

 Robert Runyon photo

The radio station KWWG was owned by the city of Brownsville, it got started in 1925 when a group of 75 citizens from Brownsville gathered to hear G.A. Parker of the Southern Radio Corporation of San Antonio on the subject of Brownsville as a radio casting point endorsed the idea and started a fund of up to $15,000. 

When the call for contributions went out, Lee B. James representing the LONE STAR IMMIGRATION COMPANY, started it with $500, several other contributions followed to raise the $15,000. The radio station was located in a small building between Washington and Adams on 10th street, which was formerly a store house for the city electrical supplies. When it came time to furnish this location, Edelstein's Furniture Co., offered to furnish the radio station's reception room with Wicker furniture, lamps, tables, etc., The Baldwin Piano Co., of New York City furnished the City of Brownsville with a standard Baldwin Parlor grand piano without cost and donated the service of upkeep at no cost. The radio station antenna and aerials were about 124 feet high. 

The radio station's first broadcast was on May 15, 1925, it started with about 500 watts, it broadcasted three times a week, the station later on picked up programs. A contest was held by the Brownsville Herald for the radio station's call  letters and slogan, a Radio set and $10 in cash were given to the winner. The cost of operating the radio station was expensive and so in 1926 the city offered it to the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce which took it over. In January 1927 the radio station's new antennas were installed on top of the Hotel El Jardin and the radio station moved to a new studio that was built on top of the Hotel.

 1926 Miscellaneous radio program announcement clippings

Brownsville in the 1920's was a period of great strides for the city, lots of projects that were planned by the city were finally achieved, among these achievements were;
1. Addition to Travelers Hotel
2. Construction of State National Bank
3. Radio Station KWWG
4. Hotel El Jardin
5. Missouri Pacific Lines new passenger station
6. The coming of the Southern Pacific railroad
7. Chamber of Commerce building
8. Gateway Bridge
9. Los Ebanos subdivision
10. Brownsville municipal Airport
11. Washington Park fountain

The 1920's were a period of great development and prosperity for the city of Brownsville. 
Some of the developments that were achieved in the 1920's include;
1. Brownsville Junior College
2. Radio Station KWWG
3. Hotel El Jardin
4. Missouri Pacific Lines passenger station
5. Chamber of Commerce building
6. Coming of the Southern Pacific Lines
7. Brownsville Municipal Airport
8. New addition to the Travelers hotel
9. Construction of the State National bank building
10. New church for the Episopal church
11. New Methodist Church
12. New Presbyterian church
13. Mercy hospital
14. New Catholic Church ( Guadalupe church)
15. Paved streets
16. The Los Ebanos subdivision 

 Photo copied from and sold on Ebay