KVRH began broadcasting in Salida in 1948 on 1340 kHz with 250 watts. Later Radio Annual records identify William J. Murphy as owner/general manager, and the station became a long-running local voice for the Upper Arkansas Valley.
The KVRH call letters remained on 1340 AM until June 29, 2017, when the facility changed identity to KGKG. The 1340 AM lineage continues, but KVRH is preserved here as its historic station identity.
Sources and further reading
- Salida Museum, “Heart of the Rockies History” (Spring 2024) — local museum account of KVRH’s 1948 launch, 250-watt service, original log-cabin studio, and mesa transmitter.
- Broadcasting, October 11, 1948 — contemporary trade-press station listing for KVRH 1340 AM.
- Radio Annual (1964) — lists KVRH in Salida and identifies its frequency and operating details.
- FCCInfo facility and call-sign lookup — current licensing reference; historical call and facility dates are given in the preceding published sources.
STATION FILE
FROM THE TIMELINE
Moments in KVRH-AM History
KVRH begins broadcasting in Salida
KVRH began broadcasting on 1340 kHz with 250 watts. Later Radio Annual records identify William J. Murphy as owner/general manager and a P.O. Box 166 station address.
Gavin correspondence preserves Southern Colorado programmers
Gavin Report correspondence identifies Rip Avina at KDZA Pueblo, Charles Darwin at KVRH Salida, and an Irwin/Howard programming team at KVUU Colorado Springs, preserving names often omitted from station histories.
People Who Worked Here
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