ABC13's Vault: KTRK-TV launched on Nov. 20, 1954

Take a look back at the long history of ABC13

A look back at ABC13's long history

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The station went live at 8:30 p.m. on November 20, 1954 from the University of Houston campus. ABC13 launched with a live celebration at the Music Hall. The Houston Symphony and Metropolitan Opera singer Marguerite Piazza performed, as did ventriloquist Senor Wences.

On November 20, 1954, KTRK signed on the air. And the rest, as they say, is history

ABC13 moved to our current location in 1961. To honor the move, we wanted to find someone who shared a birthday with the station. We found one - Sherry Fisk, who was born 30 minutes before the station signed on. We invited her to help us flip the switch on our new location on November 21, 1961.

TOUR THE NEW KTRK

KTRK when we first moved to Bissonnet in 1961

MARVIN ZINDLER...EYEWITNESS NEWS!

Eyewitness News anchor Dave Ward remembers Houston's television crusader, Marvin Zindler

BREAKING GROUND AT OUR NEW LOCATION

We broke ground for our new location in 1960

We moved into our domed building four years before the Astrodome. We had state-of-the-art equipment for two 15-minute newscasts a day. Dave Ward joined the team in 1966 as the first street reporter.

Portable cameras led to portable live news. We added newscasts and the amount of live reports.

For 60 years we brought the news to your TV. Now we can bring it to you as it happens from almost anywhere, through nearly any device. And we'll keep up with the latest technology for the next 60 years and beyond.

HELPING US CELEBRATE 20 YEARS

Sherry Fisk, who shared a birthday with KTRK, helped us celebrate

HURRICANE CLAUDETTE

Deborah Wrigley was part of our team coverage

Coverage of community events is as important to us today as it was back them. Not only is ABC13 Houston's most trusted news leader, the station consistently leads the nation in local television production.

We've produced everything from children's shows like KiTiRiK, Cadet Don and Eyewitness News for Kids, to public affairs programs and weekly sports shows, and of course, daily morning shows like Dialing for Dollars and Good Morning Houston.

Name a big local event such as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade and chances are ABC13 was the first television station to provide complete live coverage.

Our first attempt at a televised holiday food drive was so successful, not only did it become an annual event, we added several others, including our E-cycle drive and Caring Cradles citywide baby shower. Serving our community has and always will be our top priority and we thank all of you for supporting us since that very first broadcast 65 years ago.