WTRR-AM 1400 
Sanford                       

Original call Letters: WTRR
Originally Licensed: May 20, 1947                                           
Original Power:  250 Watts
Original City of  License: Sanford
Original Format: Block Programming
Origination Of Call Letters: Named for first owners son, Tolliver R. Rivers
Manager: Myron Reck
Network Affiliations: Associated Press, FRN, ABC

Owner(s): 1947-(May 20) James Rivers (Georgia)
                1947-Radio Station WTRR (Myron and Bill Reck)                                                                             
                1977-Seminole Radio Corp (Smith Broadcasting Co.)
                1982-
                1984-Seminole-Orange Broadcasting ($325,000)
                1987-Metro Orlando Broadcasters
                1988-John Torrado
                1989-River Country Broadcasting-Larry Hadley, President and General Manager
                       -Metro-Orlando Broadcasters Inc.
               1992-J&V Communications ($300,00)                           

History Of Call Letters and Formats :WTRR-1947-"Block" Programming/Pop
                                             WTRR-1973-Top 40  "The Rock On The River" 
                                                         WTRR-1978-MOR   "TR14"  
                                                         WTRR-1979-Country   "1400 Radio"
                                                         WWJZ-1983-Oldies
                                                         WUEZ-1984-Big Bands  
                                                         WUEZ-1986- Adult Contemporary  "Z-14"
                                                         WKUS-1987-Adult Contemporary/MOR, Country
                                                         WTRR-1998-Christian, News/Talk
                                                         WNSI-1988-Adult Contemporary "News, Sports & Information"
                                                         WTRR-1991-Adult Standards  ABC "Stardust" format
                                                         WTRR-1993-Oldies/Talk
                                                         WTRR-1998-Spanish
                                                         WSDO-1999-Spanish

History of WTRR

       
  This is where WTRR first broadcast from, when it was called the Mayfair Inn.                                       The New Tribes Mission today.

In June of 2003, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Bill Reck. He was a partner along with his father, Myron Reck
in the ownership of WTRR. He gave me invaluable "first hand" information which you find here. 

The origin of the call letters: Named for first owner, Mr. Rivers son, Tolliver R. Rivers

Originally broadcast from the Mayfair Inn on 1st Street in Sanford.3  Now the New Tribes Mission.

The station had "block programming", which meant blocks of time were set aside for a variety of programming that spanned the musical spectrum. There was a slot for popular music, a slot for easy listening, a slot for country, and, as a sound called rock 'n' roll percolated, a slot for rhythm and blues. There were also live broadcasts on election nights and "Sanforama,'' a three-day trade show for local merchants broadcast live from the Sanford Civic Center.

Early 1950’s-moved from the Mayfair to a building  “across the side street” from the "old" Central Florida Regional Hospital, which now is the Seminole County Services Bldg.

1968- moved to Celery Ave. First building built by Myron, then later a second building built by Bill Reck.
                   
                                                               Station as it appears today on Celery Ave.

1977-Myron Reck would retire, Bill was in full partnership with his dad, and sold the station to Smith Broadcasting
        out of Wisconsin. Bill would move to Canton, North Carolina and open WPTL-AM 950, which he continues to
        own and operate.

1981-Bill Reck moved back to Sanford and managed Sanford's WTRR for Bob Smith who wanted to move back to 
        Wisconsin.

Formats: Block programming. 1947-1967 "Pop" in the A.M., Easy listening mid days, and a Country/Western program called the “Bar None Ranch”. After school hours “pop” skewed toward a younger audience. “The Rhythm Hour” would be on the air from 5 to 6PM nightly. This was the first African American oriented program and would run from 1949 until the 1960’s. 1967 would see a more standard format of Adult contemporary, news and Seminole High School Football. 

WTRR Personalities
Bill Bauman-News-now news director at WESH TV 2, Orlando. 
Nick Pfiefauf-1955-1965-WESH TV 2 newscaster, now with Sanford Herald newspaper in Sanford.
Wayne Trout-news director Biography
Arthur Beckwith-Clerk of the Seminole County Court.
Sal Tee-"Solid  Gold Reunion"-weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.-see WDBO-AM 580 and WHHL-AM 1190
Russ Ross-Biography
Nancy Ramsey who later went on to be "Lisa Young" at WWKA-FM 92.3
Larry Edwards
Bob Anthony-1979-1983
Ken (K.P.) Manning-1979-1982-Biography
Jack Smith-son of Seminole Radio Corp owner Bob Smith
Rick Padilla 
Pat Madden
George Crossley-1970-1971-Air personality/sales
Len Russell
Bruce Schirard
Tim Trott
Ken Dixon
Julian Stenstrom
Jimmy V.-1992-6AM-9AM 
Dave Hammond
Beau Taylor-1974-1976
Jim Sandridge
Kim Fisher-1996
 David Schulz-1976-1978-Evenings
 Jerry Allen (Terry Stuhr)-1974-1977-Afternoon Drive/Program Director/play-by-play announcer of the Friday night football games for the (Sanford) Seminole High School "Fighting Seminoles".  They were in contention for the state championship in those years. David Schulz ran the board during those broadcasts
 Chuck Thomas-1975-1977-Mornings

Other Names IN WTRR History
Myron Reck-Owner
Bill Reck-Owner
Emerson Browne-Chief engineer
Johnny Popp-Engineer
Bob Smith-Owner/President Seminole Radio Corp
 Larry King-syndicated
Ramsey Pollard-"Ramblin' With Ramsey"-syndicated
Frank Vaught-General manager
Alan Colmes-3pm-5pm-syndicated

3. From The Sanford Historic Preservation Board web page http://www.ci.sanford.fl.us/wt/wt26.html  Popularly called the "Mayfair," this huge brick and stucco hotel was designed by Sanford architect Elton J. Moughton. The hotel was built in 1925 for Forrest Lake, the Mayor of Sanford, and was part of the waterfront beautification plans, which led to the construction of Seminole Boulevard. Like the boulevard, the hotel sits on reclaimed land in an area that once separated the city of Sanford from the town on Mellonville. In 1930 the failed hotel was purchased by the City and renamed the Mayfair Hotel. In 1948, the hotel was purchased by the New York Giants. From 1963 to 1977 the building housed the Sanford Naval Academy and the interior was significantly altered. The hotel is now the international headquarters of the New Tribes Mission. The exterior is largely original.

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