A television tower, owned by Gray Media Group and the home of KDLT-TV, was one of many structures damaged in a storm that swept through South Dakota last week, according to the broadcaster. It is doubtful, however, any of the other weather-ravaged properties had achieved the world-wide attention of the iconic tall tower that dominated the plains twenty miles west of Sioux Falls. The loss of the 1,480-foot behemoth, built in 1976 and located near Salem, was mourned by the crews who climbed it and the companies that serviced it.
VIKOR Teleconstruction CEO Craig Snyder said, “Sad to see it go. In the 1980s, we spent a lot of time working on that tower. The TV antenna got turned off after they built a new tower during the high definition transition.” He added, “But the owner didn’t have the heart to take it down so the only work on the tower for years has been light bulb replacement and preventative maintenance.”
A video shot in 2014 by Todd Thorin and Kevin Scmidt shows their crew changing the top beacon light bulb on the tower. The video soon went viral being seen worldwide and became a finalist in several YouTube video festivals for the breathtaking views from heights. The climbers were later interviewed by the international press which included a spot on a Japanese reality show. Snyder told Inside Towers Thorin also got a call from the FAA warning him for shooting above 400 feet before that was allowed.
The video to date has had 18 million views.
By Jim Fryer, Inside Towers Managing Editor
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