Television

Name/Title

Television

Entry/Object ID

2007.51

Description

Gray and black metal television with a small glass screen on the front. The rectangular screen is placed behind a round, slightly convex piece of glass set into the proper left side of the machine. The top half of the front as well as the body is covered in silver metal punched throughout with small holes to allow both sound from the speakers and heat from the machine to escape. The lower half of the front panel is black metal with three large openings for knobs (now missing) and fourteen small openings for knobs (still in place). The front is labeled in two places with the manufacturer's logo and name, "the hallicrafters co."

Context

Used by George Dilley in his first and second attempts to watch TV atop Burke Mountain; described as one of the first televisions in Vermont. Vermont did not have a TV Station/Signal until 1954 when WCAX built the first transmitter atop Mt. Mansfield.

Acquisition

Accession

2007.51

Acquisition Method

Purchase

Made/Created

Manufacturer

The Hallicrafters Company

Date made

1948

Time Period

20th Century

Place

City

Chicago

State/Province

Illinois

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Television

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Telecommunication Devices

Nomenclature Class

Telecommunication T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 06: Tools & Equipment for Communication

Dimensions

Height

9-1/2 in

Width

19-1/2 in

Depth

16 in

Material

Metal, Glass, Plastic

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Dilley, George

Related Places

Place

Town

Burke

County

Caledonia County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Place

Mountain

Burke Mountain

County

Essex County, Caledonia County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Place

Town

St. Johnsbury

County

Caledonia County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Interpretative Labels

Label

Television, 1948 The Hallicrafters Company Chicago, Illinois Metal, glass, plastic Museum purchase, 2007.51 Television was not invented in Vermont, but when it arrived on the scene many Vermonters were eager to experiment with the new technology. George Dilley, owner of a radio store in St. Johnsbury, was one of them. He carried this Hallicrafter television - reportedly one of the first in Vermont - to the top of Burke Mountain in an attempt to get a signal strong enough watch a Boston Braves game in July 1948. He was partially successful; he and his family could hear the baseball game, but the picture that came through was of a trapeze artist at a circus. The baseball game, broadcast from Boston, was crossing paths with a signal from Schenectady, NY on the same channel.