Monday, January 14, 2013

Classic Telephone Exchanges

Back in the day, before mandatory 10 digit dialing, local phone numbers were easier to remember. They had something called "exchange names", which the first two digits of a seven digit local number were corresponded to a word, like those listed below. This is why phones today still have 3 (now 4 letters for 7 and 9) below each number. 

For example, if your number was (and this was one of my OLD phone numbers) 633-3703, with your exchange would be "Melrose" or some variation for 63 as listed below, then 3-3703 or "MElrose -3-3703". In fact, my business card back then actually listed my number as ME3-3703 (with the conventional 633-3703 in parentheses underneath.) Surprised a lot of the old timers!

This system was used widely from the '40s to the early '70s when it was phased over to 7 digit listings. It was immortalized in the Glenn Miller classic "Pennsylvania 6-5000" (which was the phone number to The Hotel Pennsylvania, which Miller frequented before his death in 1944.) Amazingly - it STILL IS.    

I still think it's a pretty classy way (if confusing way for those not in the know) to list a phone number......

(From The Bell System's "Notes on Nationwide Dialing, 1955")

22


23


24


25


26


27


28


29


ACademy


BAldwin


CApital


CAstle

ADams


BElmont


BEverly


CEdar


CEnter


CEntral

CHapel


CHerry


CHestnut


CHurchill


CIrcle

ALpine


BLackburn


CLearbrook


CLearwater


CLifford


CLinton

AMherst


ANdrew


COlfax


COlony


COngress

BRidge


BRoad(way)


BRown(ing)


CRestview


CRestwood

ATlantic


ATlas


ATwater


ATwood


AVenue


BUtler

AXminster


AXtel


CYpress

32


33


34


35


36


37


38


39


DAvenport


DAvis


EAst(gate)


FAculty


FAirfax


FAirview

DEerfield


DEwey


EDgewater


EDgewood


EDison


FEderal

DIamond


DIckens


FIeldbrook


FIeldstone


FIllmore


FIrestone

ELgin


ELliot


ELmwood


FLanders


FLeetwood

EMerson


EMpire


ENdicott


FOrest


FOxcroft

DRake


DRexel


ESsex


FRanklin


FRontier

DUdley


DUnkirk


DUpont


EVergreen


FUlton

EXbrook


EXeter


EXport


EXpress

42


43


44


45


46


47


48


49


GArden


GArfield


HAmilton


HArrison


HAzel

GEneral


GEneva


HEmlock


HEmpstead


IDlewood

GIbson


GIlbert


HIckman


HIckory


HIllcrest


HIlltop

GLadstone


GLencourt


GLendale


GLenview


GLobe

HObart


HOmestead


HOpkins


HOward


INgersoll

GRanite


GReenwood


GReenfield


GReenleaf


GRover


GRidley

HUbbard


HUdson


HUnter


HUntley


HUxley


IVanhoe

GYpsy


HYacinth


HYatt

52


53


54


55


56


57


58


59


JAckson


LAfayette


LAkeside


LAkeview


LAmbert


LAwrence

JEfferson


KEllogg


KEystone


LEhigh


LEnox

KImball


KIngsdale


KIngswood


LIberty


LIncoln


LInden

(In 1955, this



was reserved



for radio



telephone



numbers)



JOhn


JOrdan


LOcust


LOgan


LOwell

(In 1955, this



was reserved



for radio



telephone



numbers)



JUniper


JUno


JUstice


LUdlow


LUther

LYceum


LYndhurst


LYnwood


LYric

62


63


64


65


66


67


68


69


MAdison


MAin


MArket


MAyfair


NAtional

MEdford


MElrose


MErcury


NEptune


NEwton


NEwtown

MIdway


MIlton


MIssion


MItchell


NIagara

OLdfield


OLive


OLiver


OLympia


OLympic

MOhawk


MOntrose


MOrris


NOrmandy


NOrth(field)

ORange


ORchard


ORiole


ORleans


OSborne

MUrdock


MUrray


MUseum


MUtual


OVerbrook


OVerland

MYrtle


OWen


OXbow


OXford

72


73


74


75


76


77


78


79


PAlace


PArk(view)


PArk(way)


RAndolph


RAymond


SAratoga

PErshing


REd(field)


REd(wood)


REgent


REpublic

PIlgrim


PIoneer


RIver(side)


RIver(view)


SHadyside


SHerwood

PLateau


PLaza


PLeasant


PLymouth


SKyline

POplar


POrter


ROckwell


ROger(s)


SOuth(field)

PRescott


PResident


PRospect


SPring


SPruce

STate


STerling


STillwell


STory


SUnset

PYramid


SWathmore



SWift


SWinburne


SYcamore

82


83


84


85


86


87


88


89


TAlbot


TAlmadge


TAylor


VAlley


VAndyke

TEmple


TEnnyson


TErminal


TErrace


VErnon

THornwell


TIlden


VIctor(ia)


VIking


VInewood

ULrick


ULster


ULysses

TOwnsend


UNderhill


UNion


UNiversity


VOlunteer

TRemont


TRiangle


TRinity


TRojan


UPtown

TUcker


TUlip



TUrner


TUxedo

TWilight


TWinbrook


TWinoaks


TWining

92


93


94


95


96


97


98


99


WAbash


WAlker


WAlnut


WArwick


WAverly

WEbster


WElls


WEllington


WEst(more)


YEllowstone

WHitehall


WHitney


WIlliam(s)


WIlson


WIndsor

(In 1955, this



was reserved



for radio



telephone



numbers)



WOodland


WOodlawn


WOodward


WOrth


YOrktown

(In 1955, this



was reserved



for radio



telephone



numbers)



YUkon

WYandotte


WYndown


WYman

1 comment:

  1. Prior to (about) 1953 in Seattle (QA Hill-Magnolia) the 28 prefix was ALder and next door to me was AL-8349. Again, in (about) 1953 a second 28 prefix was added in the area: the original Alder exchange customers became ALder-2 and new customers became ATwater-3. Sometime prior to 1960 the Alder name was dropped and ALder-2 became ATwater-2.

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