Walter C. Bridges Scholarship

Walter C. Bridges Scholarship

Walter C. Bridges, once a young teenager fascinated by radio, would go on to put his mark on the world of broadcasting and become one of the most prominent names in the history of the Twin Ports. During World War One, Walter Bridges served the U.S navy as a wireless operator which brought him to the Duluth area. When the war was over he decided to stay in Duluth. In 1922, with humble beginnings, he applied for a permit to begin a radio station. And so began a small one room wireless radio station, studio and transmitting gear side by side that would evolve into WEBC.

Walter played many roles to get his radio station on his feet, he was announcer, operator and was even a disk jockey. In time, WEBC would gain popularity, and Walter Bridges would go on to manage and own many more stations. This scholarship was put in place by Mary Bridges Smith, Walter’s loving wife. Walter C. Bridges is not a well known name, but his contributions to the world of broadcasting, particularity for this area, were monumental.