Big Changes in Telephones
By Glynda Pflug
A lot of "firsts" happened in the telephone industry. Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the first telephone, although six other inventors were working on inventions at the same time.
The first booth was erected in Boston in 1876. Larry Firman received a patent on the booth on January 17, 1882.
The first pay phone was created and patented by William Gray in Hartford, Connecticut. It was installed in a Hartford Bank in 1889.
The first phone line was erected in 1877 between Boston and Sommerville, Massachusetts. It was not until 1915 that transcontinental service was established.
The first booth was erected in Boston in 1876. Larry Firman received a patent on the booth on January 17, 1882.
The first pay phone was created and patented by William Gray in Hartford, Connecticut. It was installed in a Hartford Bank in 1889.
The first phone line was erected in 1877 between Boston and Sommerville, Massachusetts. It was not until 1915 that transcontinental service was established.
In the list of firsts, the first telephone directory was printed in 1878 by New Haven District Telephone and was one page long with fifty names - no numbers. Callers would tell the operator the name of the person and the operator would connect the call.
A large display of telephones and two switchboards are in another display in the Family Life Center of the museum. The older switchboard came from a hotel and the larger came from the Dumas office of Contel Telephone Co.
The display of telephones came from several donors. Probably the oldest is a crank wall phone in our 1920's house. Others came from individuals or from collectors such as Arlis McBee and Orby Brooks. Three of the most unique phones in the display are a Snoopy and Woodstock phone from Vonda Fry and a Coca-Cola phone and a M&M phone from Andrew Fry.
A large display of telephones and two switchboards are in another display in the Family Life Center of the museum. The older switchboard came from a hotel and the larger came from the Dumas office of Contel Telephone Co.
The display of telephones came from several donors. Probably the oldest is a crank wall phone in our 1920's house. Others came from individuals or from collectors such as Arlis McBee and Orby Brooks. Three of the most unique phones in the display are a Snoopy and Woodstock phone from Vonda Fry and a Coca-Cola phone and a M&M phone from Andrew Fry.