The Story of KRNR Radio Station in Roseburg

Over 85 years ago, on Weds, 11 December 1935, at 3:30 PM from the basement of the Umpqua Hotel, Douglas County’s very first FCC licensed radio station began broadcasting. The very first words spoke into the microphone and sent out across the airwaves- “Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?” The Book of Job, Chapter 38, verse 35 Explained into a more modern translation, the verse says; “Can you take charge of the lightning bolts and have them report to you for orders?” Was this use of a Bible verse an attempt, to mock God by declaring that they had taken charge of the radio waves and put them under their authority? Or, was it an acknowledgement, recognizing that even with the incredible advancement they were beginning to wield, that only God had the ultimate sovereignty over it? The true intent may be something else entirely, but is likely lost in time. Starting with just 100 watts of power, the first words sent out from the fledgling radio station, call sign “KRNR”, reached as far south as San Francisco and as far north as Tacoma. The first broadcast was only 1-hour and 15-minutes long. It included music, short talks, and messages of congratulations from the State Senator, State Representative, Mayor, County Judge (Commissioner), County Sheriff, District Attorney, and the head of the local Chamber of Commerce. Originally planned to kick off that same morning at 9:30 AM, the initial broadcast was delayed 6-hours, due to the late arrival of the official FCC permission letter. Built in 1912, the “Umpqua Hotel” was a six-story structure (including the basement) that stood then on the corner of Oak Avenue and Jackson Street, in downtown Roseburg. The radio antenna stood tall atop the high roof. An older building, the “George Kohlhagen Building” (left side), which was started in 1906, still stands today, next door to where the Umpqua Hotel stood. As a matter of fact, in 1944, the KRNR Radio Station moved its operations into the 2nd floor of the Kohlhagen Building, while the antenna remained on the hotel. After a 1974 fire, the Umpqua Hotel building was renovated down to a one-story building. It is today called the Umpqua Hotel Mall and is home to various business offices. When KRNR began operations, Roseburg became the smallest town in the USA to have a radio station of its very own. It was also the 1st small station to use a tower-type, vertical antenna. Normally small towns used a horizontal antenna. Their original call sign was “KRNR”. The “K” prefix was for radio stations west of the Mississippi. The “RNR” stood for the original owners, “Roseburg's News-Review” Company (Newspaper). In 2005, KRNR was sold, and in 2008, it was assigned the new call sign of KSKR, and continues operating today. #douglascountyoregon