The station was founded by Lowell, Massachusetts native Simon Geller (c.1920-July 11, 1995). After working in radio in New Jersey, Geller moved to Gloucester in 1964 because, he told a reporter, it was the biggest town on the East Coast without a radio station. He first applied for a license for an AM station on 1410 kHz but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied this, awarding the frequency instead to Brockton, Massachusetts. They suggested Geller apply for an FM station at 104.9 MHz instead. This station became WVCA: The Voice of Cape Ann, a phrase which became attached to Mr. Geller himself.