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Regional Information
Crown Point Telephone History
Crown Point Telephone Corporation was incorporated March 7, 1896.
The name at that time being "Schroon Lake and Crown Point Telephone
Co., Incorporated". Some time after that Schroon Lake was sold
to the New York Telephone Company and by 1906 according to the earliest
telephone directory we have on file we were Crown Point Telephone
Company. J.E. Pond was President, F.C. Pond; Vice President and
C.H. Wilson held the position of Secretary and Treasurer. Our office
was in Crown Point, NY located by the original Post Office on Main
Street. There were about 120 customers and of course there were
no numbers, subscribers were reached by asking the operator for
the name of the person being called. Surprisingly there was a wide
range of towns available for calling including some we do not recognize.
, such as "Blue Store" and "Hagaman". There
are approximately 300 towns listed in this directory. The directory
advises asking the toll operator for any towns not listed as new
places are being constantly added. The following are some of the
rates being charged in 1906: Residence Private Line; $3.75, residence
telephone sets; $.50 (or $.75 if common battery), business private
line; $5.25, Extension; $1.50.
William R. Wallace bought the company in 1929, just before the depression.
The magneto system relied on operators for long distance calls as
well as local calls to people on different lines. Many times the
operator on duty located Dr Miller for an emergency call while he
was at some else's house. His office telephone number was 36. The
operators also found the veterinarian, Dr Pierce,(office telephone
number 114) and local firemen during a crisis. The telephone operators
also rang the siren for fire calls until a fireman arrived at the
fire house to take over. Each house had to have a set of batteries
which were usually in the basement or on the floor beside the telephone
set. Believe it or not we are still finding these sturdy batteries
in old houses after 42 years of disuse. Mr Wallace and his wife
Leora continued to expand the radius of the service until he sold
it in 1954. At that time Herbert O. and Dorothy S. Lewis bought
the enterprise.
During the 1950's improvements and innovations were being developed
in the telecommunications industry, the world seemed to become smaller
as it became easier to call people anywhere. These improvements
came to Crown Point under the guidance of the Lewises. The company
became the owner of a new central office switch called a Stromberg
Carlson X-Y. The Stromberg switch was comprised of relays, selectors
and miles of connecting wire. The X-Y switch enabled calls to go
through faster and eliminated the need for operators. At the same
time fourteen and fifteen party lines were eliminated. Telephone
wires were removed from fence posts and trees to be placed on poles.
Additional cable and pole lines were added to accommodate most of
the rural areas in Crown Point. The number of customers grew from
approximately 200 to over 450 in those first few short years.
Modest expansion and numerous improvements have continued through
the succeeding years. We have continued the tradition of providing
quality service which began over one hundred years ago. We are proud
of what we have accomplished and look forward with anticipation.
We are still small but we are mighty.
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Regional Information
- Crown Point Telephone History
- Crown Point History
- Penfield Homestead
- First Congregational Church of Crown Point
Area Histories
- Lake Champlain History
- The War of 1812
- Ticonderoga 1804 - 2004
- Schroon Lake 1804 - 2004
- Town of Moriah
Area Places of Interest
- Lake Champlain Bikeways
- Lake Champlain Birding Trail
- Fishing in the Adirondacks
- Adirondack Sport Fishing
- Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
- Continuing Education
- Gold Pages Home Page |
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