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Most Endangered Places
2004

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Most Endangered Places for 2004

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY BUILDING

4623 41ST STREET, NW

STEWARD: AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION

This 73-foot limestone tower was built between 1945 and 1947. The Washington tower was part of an experiment by Western Union to use technology developed during World War II to replace century old wire telegraphy with microwave transmissions. Western Union constructed 25 towers between New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Pittsburgh. The Washington tower is the nation’s only architect-designed building built solely as an antenna structure. Created by notable architect and engineer Leon Chatelain, it is a rare remaining structure associated with the nation’s first commercial microwave communications network, which used radio frequencies previously restricted to use only by military radar systems. The towers in the former Western Union system and others today are endangered by FCC policies that exclude existing communications towers from compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Actions such as the removal or addition of antennas from existing towers may be excluded from review under Section 106. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to evaluate the effects of their undertakings (such as the issuance of licenses and permits and construction activities) on historic properties. Two years ago, the American Tower Corporation obtained permits to build a second 756-foot tower and make other alterations to the property. A complaint was filed with the Federal Communications Commission alleging that American Tower Corporation did not follow the FCC’s Section 106 procedures. In November 2003, the National Register of Historic Places formally determined the Western Union Telegraph Company Building eligible for listing but the tower is still not locally listed and, therefore, is not protected by local preservation laws.

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