Dec. 15 marks 60 years for WRAL-TV

>> CLARK WOULD BE SO PROUD.

THAT IS VERY MUCH A CLARK

GRISWOLD DISPLAY.

>>> 60 YEARS SINCE W ORIOLES

SIGNED ON TOMORROW.

WHAT AN HISTORIC MOMENT WAS.

TONIGHT ON THE EVE OF THE

ANNIVERSARY OUR TAR HEEL

TRAVELER TAKES US BACK TO 1956.

>> SCOTT MASON BIG SUR THE

ARCHIVE CYNIC INTO THE

STATION'S GROUNDBREAKING HERE

AT WESTERN BOULEVARD.

>> Reporter: THIS IS FRED

FLETCHER SPEAKING

>> HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE

FUTURE SITE OF WRAL.

>>

>> THIS IS A HAPPY OCCASION FOR

US.

>> Reporter: THE OCCASION WAS

GROUNDBREAKING.

>> OCTOBER 1956.

>> Reporter: THAT FIRST TURN OF

THE SHOVEL WOULD SOON LEAD TO

MUCH GREATER THINGS.

>> I DIDN'T EVER HAVE A DREAM

THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE LIKE IT

IS TODAY.

>> Reporter: REMEMBER VERY WELL

THE DAY WE SIGNED ON.

>> Reporter: THE SIGN ON

DECEMBER 15, 1956.

IN A TEMPORARY SITE TOOK WHILE

CREWS BUILT A MADE STUDIO

>> THE TEMPORARY SITE WAS A

GARAGE.

>> Reporter: WE START OFF AND

THERE WERE CAMERAS IN THE MIDDLE

OF THE GARAGE.

AND THEN WE STARTED

BROADCASTING.

THE BIG TRANSMITTER AND THE

LIGHTS AND IT WAS REALLY

EXCITING TO SEE ALL OF THAT.

>> WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THE

STATION GETTING STARTED AT THIS

TIME

>> Reporter: IT REALLY WAS AN

HISTORIC EVENT IT WAS BEGINNING

TO EMERGE.

>> Reporter: EVERYTHING MUST

HAVE A BEGINNING

>> Reporter: WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW

TELEVISION WAS GOING TO DO.

NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA 50 TRIANGLE

WAS GOING TO BE A TOP 25

MARKET.

FASTEST-GROWING MARKET IN THE

US.

NO ONE WAS THINKING THAT.

>> Reporter: CERTAINLY THEY

WERE NOT THINKING THAT DOING

THE GROUNDBREAKING THEY WERE

THINKING ABOUT THE WEATHER.

>> THE RAIN POURING DOWN ALL

AROUND AND MONTHS AROUND THE

STROKE IT WAS WRONG AND --

WESLEY COME UP AND SAY WORK WE

WERE UNDER THE TENT WITH A

DOROTHY COLLINS STUCK A LOVELY

GUEST NATIONALLY KNOWN -- A

SINGER FROM THE TV SHOW THE HIT

PARADE.

AND SHE WAS THERE ALL DRESSED

UP AND MY GOODNESS SHE WAS THE

MOST ATTRACTIVE WOMAN

>> FOREVER SO FAR IS 60 YEARS.

>> AND AN OPEN BEHOLD OUR 60th

YEAR WE ARE BACK HOME WITH NBC.

I'M PROUD OF WHAT THE COMPANY

HAS ACCOMPLISHED.

THE FAMILY HAS ACCOMPLISHED

OVER 60 YEARS AND WE'RE JUST

GETTING STARTED.

60 YEARS IS NOTHING.

>> THAT'S AMAZING TO LOOK BACK.

>> HOW ABOUT THE LIVE TRUCK.

>> THAT WAS SOMETHING.

>>> TOMORROW AT MORE OF THE

ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE THE MEMORY OUR

STATE ANNIVERSARY.

LOOK AT SOME OF THE NOTEWORTHY

NEWS EVENTS CAPTURED BY THOSE

BULKY BUT DURABLE VIDEO --