Alexanderson Plaque
MRHS member Richard Dillman writes: When I first visited the RCA transmitting station in Bolinas in 1972 I made a pilgrimage to Building 1, the most historic building on the site. Building 1 was constructed in 1913 by the American Marconi Company to house the original 230kW trans-oceanic rotary gap transmitter. In 1920 the rotary was replaced by two magnificent Alexanderson alternators, each capable of 200kW. The Alexandersons were of course long gone but evidence of their former presence remained in the form of a bronze plaque screwed to the outside wall of Building 1 to the left of the entry. The plaque proclaimed the presence of the alternators inside. When I returned to Bolinas in 1973 I was shocked to find the plaque gone. Only the threaded studs remained in the wall where it once was. I hoped that the precious artifact had been taken by a collector rather than a scrapper. I hoped that one day word would come about the location of the plaque. I waited through the 70s.. the 80s... the 90s... Finally in 2008 the call came. "We have this plaque in the basement of our museum. We think it belongs to you guys." You can imagine the feelings that call generated. Before long the plaque was back at Bolinas, in safe storage.
