Joe Locasio Don Wallace Museum Collection

Details

CollectionWallace RanchLocal History Center Archival CollectionsCollection Number075Date1986-2008 (bulk)DescriptionThe Joe Locasio Don Wallace Museum Collection contains planning documents and memorabilia for the Don Wallace Museum in Rancho Palos Verdes, California collected by Locasio.NoteJoe Locasio (call sign K5KT), an avid radio enthusiast, was formerly the president of the Honolulu DX, Southern California DX, and Palos Verdes Amateur Radio clubs. Locasio was on the leadership board of the Don Wallace Radio Ranch Foundation (later known as the Don Wallace Museum Foundation) and served as Chairman for three years. The foundation aimed to create a museum dedicated to ham radio and Don Wallace's accomplishments. After years of back and forth between the city, community, and developers, the museum project was abandoned.
Don Wallace (call sign W6AM) was born 1898 and was a major figure in the ham radio field. Wallace received his first operator's license and was a radioman on a submarine before he was selected by Woodrow Wilson as his personal radio operator in 1919. He was named Chief Radio Officer aboard the U.S.S George Washington serving President Wilson and was in the position during the Versailles Peace conference after WWI. In 1924, Wallace won the Hoover Cup for best homebuilt land operated amateur radio station in the U.S. He continued to design and experiment with amateur radio and won multiple awards during his life time. In the 1930s he helped handle traffic messages after floods and an earthquake in Long Beach and also published his Short Wave Manual.
In 1945, Wallace bought a 120 acre radio facility on the Palos Verdes Peninsula from Press Wireless, a group of newspapers that erected the radio trasmitting and receiving site. The site played a crucial communications link to the South Pacific during WWII. Known as the Wallace Radio Ranch, or Wallace Ranch, Wallace built his rhombic farm consisting of 61 poles and 16 rhombic antennas, one of which was 1550 feet long, and thought to be the largest amateur radio antenna in the world.
Wallaced leased some of the property for agricultural use which helped reduce his personal taxes on the land. During the 1960s however, Wallace sold all but 24 acres because of the high taxes. He continued to broadcast from his Ranch until the end of his life, making contact with people in 365 countries.
After Wallace's death, the 24 acre site was sold and developed into residential housing called Wallace Ranch Estates. A plaque commemorating Wallace is located at the entrance to the development at Armaga Spring Road and Via Malona in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Topic

Geographic LocationPalos Verdes Peninsula (Calif.) Rancho Palos Verdes (Calif.)SubjectMuseumsRadio operatorsAmateur radio stations

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