WMRN Radio station building and broadcast studios, North Main Street, Marion, Ohio. Home of WMRN-AM (1490) and WMRN-FM. Photograph preserved by the WMRN Radio History Archive.

Preservation & History

Marion's Radio Heritage Since 1940

Preserving the history of WMRN (AM 1490) and WMRN-FM through photographs, documents, audio recordings, and original research.

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85 Years On Air

1940 Year Founded

AM & FM Dual-Band Legacy

• WMRN-AM signed on December 23, 1940 • Licensed to Marion Broadcasting Company (Robert T. Mason, President) • Original studios: 1330 North Main Street, Marion, Ohio • Original AM frequency: 1500 kHz • Moved to 1490 kHz in 1941 (NARBA) • WMRN-FM launched May 6, 1953 at 106.9 MHz • FM frequency changed to 94.3 MHz on January 6, 2008 • WMRN Peanut Push founded in 1969 • Originating broadcaster of Buckeye Chuck (est. 1979) • • WMRN-AM signed on December 23, 1940 • Licensed to Marion Broadcasting Company (Robert T. Mason, President) • Original studios: 1330 North Main Street, Marion, Ohio • Original AM frequency: 1500 kHz • Moved to 1490 kHz in 1941 (NARBA) • WMRN-FM launched May 6, 1953 at 106.9 MHz • FM frequency changed to 94.3 MHz on January 6, 2008 • WMRN Peanut Push founded in 1969 • Originating broadcaster of Buckeye Chuck (est. 1979) •

From the WMRN Archive

Accession

WOCB-CD (TV-39 Marion) Coverage — Buckeye Chuck Groundhog Day Broadcast (February 2, 2006) [DVD]

Recorded television coverage of Buckeye Chuck on Groundhog Day, February 2, 2006, aired on WOCB-CD (TV-39 Marion, Ohio). Description This item consists of a digitized recording of a television broadcast documenting Groundhog…

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Preserving Marion's Radio Heritage

The WMRN Radio History Archive is a historical preservation project dedicated to documenting the legacy of WMRN (AM 1490) and WMRN-FM in Marion, Ohio.

Founded in 1940, WMRN has served north-central Ohio for generations through news, music, sports, and community service. This archive preserves that story through photographs, documents, audio recordings, ephemera, and original research.

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What We Cover

Explore the archive through four curated areas documenting WMRN's history and legacy.

Station History

Ownership, formats, call letters, and major milestones from WMRN's founding in 1940 to today.

Facilities & Equipment

Studios, transmitters, towers, and technical documentation related to WMRN's broadcast infrastructure.

People & Programming

Air personalities, engineers, newsroom staff, shows, slogans, and eras that defined WMRN on the air.

Browse the Archive

Photographs, audio recordings, documents, advertisements, and ephemera preserved as archival entries.

From the Archive

A selection of photographs, recordings, and ephemera preserved in the collection.

A Commitment to Preservation

Materials are collected from public records and private collections for educational and historical purposes. This is a living archive — new materials are added as they are identified, documented, and preserved.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the current or former station owners.

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Browse archival materials, read the station's history, or get in touch to contribute.

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