Radio Homes Were High Tech Wonders
John T. Wilson built the first house in our neighborhood in July 1925 at 232 Furr Drive. Just one year later, Mr. Wilson was not only one of the area’s most prolific builders but was embracing new technology seemingly ahead of other builders across the country.
In June 1926, he had three very unique houses for sale on Furr Drive, each advertised as a technological marvel of the day. These homes were at 326, 330, and 331 Furr Drive.
He called these houses “Radio Homes.” They featured built-in, eight-tube, super-heterodyne radios which could send radio programs to speakers in each bedroom and the breakfast room, in addition to the primary location in the living room.
San Antonio Express, June 6, 1926
In 1927, he built another Radio Home at 334 Furr, this time with the addition of a Kohler electric dishwashing sink, one of the first automatic dishwashers. Imagine shoppers’ amazement at these houses, full of new high-tech features none of them had ever seen.
Recall that radios were just gaining popularity as a means of family entertainment. The first radio station began broadcasting in 1920, and even in 1925, only 10% of U.S. households had radios. Having the radio play programming in multiple rooms was definitely a sensation for San Antonio, and Mr. Wilson took full advantage of this by advertising his marvels in both the San Antonio Light and the San Antonio Express.
San Antonio Express, July 11, 1926
Across the U.S., newspapers of the day typically used the term “radio homes” to refer to households which owned radios, but I could find no other builder in the U.S. using that phrase for the type of built-in, multi-room radio featured in Wilson’s “Radio Homes.” He even had the phrase trademarked, indicating he likely invented the idea!
The subcontractors on Wilson’s Radio Homes joined together and promoted their affiliation with these high-tech homes. This gives us a unique lens into who supplied each portion of the four Radio Homes on Furr. What a fantastic historical record for the current owners.
Interestingly, these homes were advertised as “just a stone’s throw from San Antonio’s new two-million dollar tourist hotel and golf course.” This, of course, referred to El Conquistador, the hotel and golf resort which was planned but never built. Portions of that site are now occupied by Thomas Jefferson High School and the rest was developed as home sites.
John Wilson was ahead of his time, and evidently was a pioneer in promoting high-tech amenities in his homes. I think he would be very happy to see the types of features our homes have today.
