Today in Wheeling History: October 13--Donald W. Levenson, future pioneer of cable television in Wheeling, is born (1919).
Don Levenson was born on October 13, 1919, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to David and Eva Levenson. He graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1942 with a degree in electrical engineering. During World War II, Levenson worked for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and invented the "Echo Box," a device used to calibrate radar equipment, for which he received a presidential citation. In 1947, he moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, and became vice president of his family's business, Reichart Furniture Company. However, his passion for engineering led him to experiment with community antenna television (CATV). In 1951, he began running a cable from the hill above Oakmont to supply feeds of Pittsburgh stations to his brother and neighbors. This initiative evolved into the Wheeling Antenna Company (WACO), which he incorporated on May 6, 1952. On November 4, 1952, WACO broadcast the first cable television signal to downtown Wheeling, showing the election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Levenson's work with WACO revolutionized the cable television industry, and he was the first person recognized by the National Cable Television Association for outstanding engineering contributions in 1973. Don Levenson passed away in 1978 and was buried at Beth Shalom Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library (https://tinyurl.com/yjjjwzc6), The Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/yc6hyrds), Syndeo Institute (https://tinyurl.com/mdkcjnfd)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
Don Levenson was born on October 13, 1919, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to David and Eva Levenson. He graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1942 with a degree in electrical engineering. During World War II, Levenson worked for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and invented the "Echo Box," a device used to calibrate radar equipment, for which he received a presidential citation. In 1947, he moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, and became vice president of his family's business, Reichart Furniture Company. However, his passion for engineering led him to experiment with community antenna television (CATV). In 1951, he began running a cable from the hill above Oakmont to supply feeds of Pittsburgh stations to his brother and neighbors. This initiative evolved into the Wheeling Antenna Company (WACO), which he incorporated on May 6, 1952. On November 4, 1952, WACO broadcast the first cable television signal to downtown Wheeling, showing the election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Levenson's work with WACO revolutionized the cable television industry, and he was the first person recognized by the National Cable Television Association for outstanding engineering contributions in 1973. Don Levenson passed away in 1978 and was buried at Beth Shalom Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library (https://tinyurl.com/yjjjwzc6), The Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/yc6hyrds), Syndeo Institute (https://tinyurl.com/mdkcjnfd)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
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