During the 1920's, radio stations KMA and KFNF put Shenandoah on the national map by sending powerful signals across all 48 states and profoundly affecting rural America. Henry Field's KFNF began broadcasting in 1924, and Earl May started KMA in 1925. These rival stations, led by two born salesmen, promoted seed and nursery products along with entertainment, and radio advertising caused both mail order and retail business to skyrocket. They brought news, weather forecasts, and farming advice into the homes of isolated farmers and ranchers throughout the Midwest. Thousands of visitors came to Shenandoah to buy merchandise at Field's Spanish style shopping center and to see live broadcasts at KMA's Mayfair Auditorium. The stations also drew many itinerant musicians and entertainers eager to succeed in radio, while a carnival atmosphere grew in Shenandoah as May and Field tried to outdo each other with huge promotions such as May's Jubilee Days, which offered free pancakes and non-stop entertainment. Less flamboyant but perhaps more influential were the radio homemakers, who gave advice and companionship to generations of Midwestern housewives. Through the depression, World War II, and into the 1970's, radio was a great communicator for women. The heyday of live radio ended with recorded music and network programming; KFNF closed, but KMA continues Shenandoah's radio tradition.