WFRD's history goes back more than four decades. On February 19, 1976, WFRD first signed on the air.[3] It originally broadcast a wide variety of music, from classical, jazz, folk music to progressive rock, punk rock and new wave music.[4] The call letters stand for "FM Radio Dartmouth", referring to Dartmouth College. There was a lengthy debate over whether to choose WDCR-FM to link the FM station with its former AM companion, 1340 WDCR (now defunct), or to give the new FM station an independent identity. Among the arguments for an independent identity was the possibility of selling the AM station once FM became the more popular broadcast band.
Around 2001, WFRD began playing a modern rock format, although by the 2010s, WFRD began including other genres of current rock.
As of 2014, the station left the Nielsen BDS Alternative Rock indicator panel and was added to the Nielsen BDS Mainstream Rock indicator panel.
In June 2021, Dartmouth Broadcasting announced plans to sell the station, citing ongoing unprofitability and low student involvement in its operations as deciding factors. The online station WDCR and Dartmouth Broadcasting itself were not part of the planned sale.[5] On October 13, 2021, Sugar River Media, owner of several other stations in the Lebanon-Hanover-White River Junction area (including WNTK-FM and WUVR), announced its acquisition of WFRD.[6]
