GODAHL — An ice-caked 620-foot UHF television tower one mile east of here was blown over by high winds at about 2 p.m. Thursday.

It may be between 30 and 60 days before a tower can be put up again and service restored, according to Wayne Olson, secretary-treasurer of the tower’s owner, Watonwan Television Improvement Association.

The downed tower was reportedly spotted by an employee of the Watonwan County Highway Department at 2:25 p.m.

The tower receives signals from channels 2, 4, 5 and 11 in the Twin Cities and channel 6 from Austin.

Added weight from an ice storm, coupled with the high winds, was blamed for the fall.

“Last year the whole tower was overhauled so it would be more stable,” Olson said.

According to a spokesman from the Watonwan County Sheriff’s office, the building next to the tower housing television equipment was demolished and Brown County Electric Association power lines and telephone lines were knocked down by the tower.

The 16-year-old tower fell across a township road and broke into several pieces.

Photo by Ron Grieser

New Ulm Daily Journal

March 28, 1975