TELEPHONE HISTORY - Ba^ING GREEN, KENTUCKT

Talk to Bowling Green-V*arren County Historical Society

Noveinber 17, 1970 - Lee C« Truman, Jr«

Forty-four years ago last night, on November 16, 1926, adinner was held in Bowling Green at the Presbyterian Churchcommemorating the anniversary of the invention of the telephone*The program was arranged by Southern Bell Telephone Company manager,A« J* Millero Three citizens spoke on "the history of the telephonein Bowling Green as I recall it" as follows:

1880 to 1896 - W. C. Sumpter, Pres. of J. B- Sumpter St COo1896 to 1910 - Hon. John B. Rhodes, attorney1910 to 1926 - Gen. H. H. Denhardt, Lt. Gov. of Ky»

Other comments were made by R. C. P. Thomas, attorney, and J, L« Harman,President of Bowling Green Business University*

I will refer to ray script frequently during this talkbecaiise it is an attempt to reduce 9k years of telephone history toabout 20 or 30 minutes*

It all started with these words: "By the way Captain, howabout some music?" They were spoken in the Fall of 1877 by Nashville'sJames 3* Ross from Bowling Green to Captain William Stockell in thecourse of a conversation marking Nashville's first long distancecall to Bowling Green, Kentucky* The call was over Western UnionTelegraph Co* lines* As a feature of the ceremonies, several hitmusical numbers of the day were carried to the ears of eager BowlingGreen listeners*

This event took place only one year aXter the transmissionof the first complete sentence on the telephone when Dr» AlexanderGraham Bell said on Karch 10, 1776, "Mr* Watson, come here, I want youl"

Telephone service in Bowling Green had its beginning whenan ordinance was approved by the city of Bowling Green, on February I8,I88U, authorizing the East Tennessee Telephone Coo to operate atelephone exchange here* H* C* Hines was mayor and Col* W, H« Joneswas city clerk* The articles of incorporation, dated May 5, 1887,of the East Tezinessee Telephone Co* are recorded in Book #1, page 1;3>Warren County Clerk's office* The five incorporators, all of Nashville,Tennessee, were Sam J* Keith, Isaac T* Rhea, 0* F« Nail, James £*Caldwell., and John Lonshan, Jr*

The first words spoken from one telephone to another inBowling Green took place in May 1881;> some seven years after the longdistance call had been received from Nashville, Tennessee*

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The first Bowling Green telephone manager was Edward X* Hofftnan,who filled the position from August 15, 1885 to March 15, l887«(In 1926 Hoffhian resided at 36I Anthony St», Glen Ellyn, 111©)According to Mr® Hoffman, the first telephone in Bowling Green was"from the boatlanding to J, H. Mallory's Dmg Store."

The first telephone exchange was located at about UO? ParkRow, where Charles Store is now located. There were about 35 telephonesubscribers in 1885* Some of the original subscrobers were:H. G. Hines & Go® (wholesale grocers), Mitchell & Dubois (attorneys),Durham & Co. (grocers), John Edwell (ax handle factory). Western Union,Adams & Co« (Jewelers), Garr & Wilson (livery stable), E. W. BewleyIce Co., Jo H. Mallory (drug store), Duncan & Wood, Cook & Paine (ins &real estate), L & N depot, John Lewis Coal Co., Green & Barren RiverNavigation Co., Drs. Wright &HcGormack, Henry Jenkins & Go. (grocers).Potter & James Woolen Mills, Thomas Smith & Co (book store), J. Lucas &Co. (farm implements), city water works, police station, public school,Jim Holman (real estate), J. W. Brashear & Co. (plumber), and WilfordBrothers (milling).

The first telephone operator in Bowling Green was MissLillian Atwood© (In 1926 she was Mrs. C. H. Garter and resided at852 S. 3rd. St., Louisville, Kentucky)

On March 15, 1887, R. M. Easley came to Bowling Green astelephone manager. (In 1926 he resided at ii31 N. Leighton St.,Kenton, Ohio) He was paid $25oOO per month; operators were paid$8oOO per month at the time. The first telephone line Mr. Easleyextended outside the city limits went to the residence of R. L.Brashear, 3/U miles out the old L & N turnpike. The wire to thebridge was on poles. From the bridge the top wire on a barbed wirefence was used as far as it went. Then the wire was put on top ofa post and railing fence to the residence. The next line built outof town was to Meylers Still, about five miles out the RussellvilleRoad. Mr. sley said, "A good many people thought we were usinga hollow wire so we could get our booze easy."

Easley continued as telephone manager in Bowling Greenuntil January 1, 18^5, when he was replaced by F. G. Harrison. Ihave been unable to secure any information about Mr. Harrison.

Other telephone companies in the area at the same timewere the Park City Telephone Co. which was organized on January 26, 18^8,and the Bowling Green, Alvaton, & Scottsville Telephone Co. organizedMay 23, 1890c

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In November 1900, Bowling Green was one of 17 Kentuckytelephone exchanges which was transferred from the East TennesseeTelephone Go* to the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Co. TheCumberland Company had been organized in Henderson, Kentucky onJune 1, 1853, with S. S. Babcock, Jr. of Evansvi3J.e, Indiana, asthe first president® Sometime after 1907, the Bowling Green telephoneexchange had been moved from its Park Row location to the Gerard Bldg.at College Street above where Simpson Billiard Parlor is nowlocated. A. J. Miller, now residing at 627 13th St. in Bowling Green,became manager of the Cumberland Bowling Green exchange on July 17, 1922.Mr. Miller took the place of Charles Hamby, who had been manager here2 or 3 years, (now residing in Winchester, Ky^

The Bowling Green Home Telephone Company was organized inBowling Green in 1902 and began service in July 1903* The exchange waslocated at SOU College Street, where radio station WKCT is at present.The company also operated exchanges at Woodburn, Piano, Morgantown,Rochester, and Round Hill. In 1911, the company had l600 subscribersand ten operators. Its officers at the time were; C. A. Edwards,president^ E. B. Stout, V. president; J. Whit Potter, Treasurerj andH. P. Meyers, secretary and general manager, (now living in Frankfort, Ky.)The company advertised the fact that through its 125 miles of toll linesand its connections with the Independent Long Distance TelephoneCompany and the Central Home Telegraph & Telephone Company, itprovided prompt and unexcelled long distance service to over 100,000subscribers in the state of Kentucky and thousands of others inadjoining states.

From 1903 to 1926 there were two telephone companiesoperating in Bowling Green#

On January 23, 1926, the Bowling Green Home Telephone Companyand the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Company combined operationsinto the then existing Bowling Green Home Telephone Company exchangebuilding at 80ii College Street*. The building housed equipment whichfurnished telephone service to 1,985 Bowling Green subscribers.

On July 1, 1926, the official name of the company handlingtelephone operations in Bowling Green was changed to Southern BellTelephone & Telegraph Company.

C. B. Talbert succeeded Mr. Miller as telephone managerin Bowling Green on December 1, 19U9« At the time there were 6,317telephone s\abscribers and 65 operators.

Operations were continued at the College Street locationuntil a new exchange building was completed at ll50 State Street.After installation of equipment, dial telephone service was inaugratedin Bowling Green on March 31, 1951*

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On March 6, 1955, seven character telephone numbers werefirst used in Bowling Green with the introduction of Victor 2 andVictor 3 to existing four digit telephone numbers. At Woodbum,JAckson 9 and at Morgantown, lAkeview 6 were introduced* Allnumber calling was started in February 196U and Victor, JAckson,and LAkeview began to fade into history.

On April 1, 196ii, L. C. Truman succeeded G* B. Talbertas manager. (Talbert is now residing at 757 Belhaven St* Jackson, Miss)

Another milestone in telephone organization in Bowling Greentook place on July 1, 1968, when South Central Bell Telephone Gompai^was formed out of Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company. Thenew company serves a five state area - Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama,Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Direct Distance Dialing of ling distance calls was introducedin Bowling Green on September 8, 1968. Touchtone telephone servicebecame available in Bowling Green's 781 exchange on April 10, 1969*

Today there are 29,h3h (10-31-70) telephones in the BowlingGreen exchange# Operators total lo2. Gr^^h in the telephonebusiness has been rapid and is expected to continue©

1926 19U51937 235019i;7 U6881957 1013U1967 22693

REFERENCE SOURCES

1. Kentucky Building Library - Western Kentucky Univ,a« Vertical files - Warren County, Telephoneb« Manuscript files - A. J- Miller

2* The Southern Telephone Newsa. October 19U5 - September 19li6

3« The Bell Tel News, Nashville, Tenn.a. March 19U0

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