WSPY's first radio station on Burr Oak Road in Plano

Larry and Pam Nelson, are founders of WSPY AM 1480 radio, and first visited Sandwich July 20, 1969. At the time he was employed by WLS Chicago and part-time at WRMI FM Morris, and came to the Sandwich Airport to cover a visit by Bob Hope. Hope was there to help raise money for a missionary in a distant land. After Hope’s appearance, Nelson, Hope, and many others went into the offices to watch the televised broadcast of a United States’ first moon landing.
   During the visit, Nelson was asked if he had ever attended the Sandwich Fair. When he replied no, he was encouraged to return in September for the fair. He, his future wife, Pam, his mother and father did return for the fair, and that was when Nelson decided this area would be a great place to start a radio station with local programming of news, high school sports, and community events.
   The Nelsons applied to the FCC for an FM station in 1970 and was granted a construction permit in 1973. WSPY (the letters stand for Sandwich, Plano, Yorkville) went on the air January 19, 1974 and has never been off the air.

  The Nelson family business continues with their children, Douglas Nelson and Jenn Beckman, who are actively involved in the operations of the business.