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My Local Exchange, and what's yours?

Started by WesternElectricBen, November 16, 2013, 10:31:53 PM

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WesternElectricBen

Hello everybody,

Today, my dad said, " I have something interesting to show you." So I say alright, and he goes to this folder, and pulls out tons of pictures of our house, info and sales receipts from past owners. (We are the third owners)

But, what really stuck out to me, is the fact, of the extange number, and that it was "WA-.-...." I'm not sure what WA word would be but I thought I could ask.

Also look at some of the info on this old house, its pretty interesting what use to be a special feature, and what we now take for granted. Note I blacked out our address.

This piece is probably from the second sale sometime is the 60's or 70's I'm guessing. Sorry for the bad picture.

But my question for you, is, what is your local extange name or prefix? Feel free to share below.

Ben

Phonesrfun

#1
While many three digit prefixes that formerly had names still exist, many, many prefixes have come into existence long after exchange names were done away with.  For instance, where I grew up, my original phone number was LIncoln-1971.  In the mid 1950's a number 2 was added to the front, and LIncoln turned into ALpine 4.  Our number therefore was ALpine 4-1971 for many years.  The 7 digit equivalent is 254-1971.  The Alpine office still exists today.  In the same city, the newer 761 exchange came into existence after exchange names were no longer used, and so it was nameless.  I am sure a name could have been assigned to the 7 and 6 digits.  However, my current cell phone number has its 3 digit "prefix" of 200.  It would be impossible to assign a name to that.

As to your original exchange name fo WA for your city, you might try going to the Exchange Name project and look it up.  You can Google its address, or do a search on this forum, it has been discussed here in the past.  Best of luck in your research.
-Bill G

ESalter

#2
Clinton, IA (my hometown) was CHapel.  The small adjoining town of Camanche was ALpine, I believe.  I haven't seen it written anywhere, but my dad insists he remembers an exchange name of CHelsea.  The oldest local number cards I've been able to locate just say "CH2-XXXX" or "CH3-XXXX".

---Eric

twocvbloke

#3
Round here, it was CO7, or COnsett-7, or 207 (noting that our dials had the letters O and Q at the Number 0), they changed that to all-figures in 1966 and it became 0207, and then finally 01207 when outer london decided they wanted the Consett (0207) and Bodmin (0208) STD numbers (replacing 0171 and 0181 respectively after BT's "phONEday" added a 1 to everyone's STD, later adjusting london to 020x once the 1 conversion was complete and understood)... :)

Where I used to live, the current STD code is 01282, the 282 part being derived from BUrnley-2, again the number changed from letters & figures to all figures with the 0 prefix added, stayed as 0282 for many years and then the 1 was added to form 01282, funny thing was, a lot of older businesses in that area didn't bother to update their signs and shopfronts to accommodate the 1, so a lot of numbers still say 0282 xxxxxx... :D

Then there's 01429 (where my dad lives), HArtlepool-9, same happened to that as the other two, it gets confusing though as areas between where my dad lives and where Hartlepool is, 0191 numbers crop up, which muddies the waters a bit!! ???

It is funny though how despite starting off with essentially the same systems, the UK and the US & Canada ended up going completely different ways with phone numbers in order to maximise the amount of available codes and extensions for customers... :D

Contempra

#4
I don't know Ben.. what's a local exchange name in french ??

twocvbloke

#5
I daren't even attempt to guess as it's been about 13 years since I was last in a french class at school... :D

All I can say is it'll be the name of your local telephone exchange or central office, or past names for long-defunct exchanges that no longer exist... :)

Matilo Telephones

#6
Commutateur téléphonique
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

david@london

#7
CREscent was the exchange in our locale.........up the road was VALentine.

contempra....................some parisian codes detailed here.

http://tinyurl.com/q84zr89

poplar1

Quote from: WesternElectricBen on November 16, 2013, 10:31:53 PM


But, what really stuck out to me, is the fact, of the extange number, and that it was "WA-.-...." I'm not sure what WA word would be but I thought I could ask.



The following is from the Telephone Exchange Name Project:  http://rcrowe.brinkster.net/tensearch.aspx

 
927 WA7 WAlnut Minneapolis Minnesota USA My grandmother still had WAlnut7 on her telephone dial in the late 1970's. She still has that same number even to this  

ST Sterling Minneapolis Minnesota USA I remember when they added a "1" so our number became ST 1-1055. Loretta Spindler

82 TA Taylor Minneapolis Minnesota usa Growing up in area nanasue  

92 wa walnut minneapolis minnesota usa Grew up with this exchsnge. 922 walnut 2 mike
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

poplar1

#9
An example from Montreal, Quebec, on August 4, 1957:
WIlbank became WEllington 2
WEllington became WEllington 3 (a rare example of keeping the exchange name)
FItzroy became WEllington 5
GLenview became WEllington 7
VEndome became DUpont 7
HEmlock became POntiac 7
TRenmore became POntiac 8
HArbour became VIctor 5
MArquette became VIctor 9


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_exchange_names
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

WesternElectricBen

#10
Quote from: Phonesrfun on November 17, 2013, 12:17:09 AM
While many three digit prefixes that formerly had names still exist, many, many prefixes have come into existence long after exchange names were done away with.  For instance, where I grew up, my original phone number was LIncoln-1971.  In the mid 1950's a number 2 was added to the front, and LIncoln turned into ALpine 4.  Our number therefore was ALpine 4-1971 for many years.  The 7 digit equivalent is 254-1971.  The Alpine office still exists today.  In the same city, the newer 761 exchange came into existence after exchange names were no longer used, and so it was nameless.  I am sure a name could have been assigned to the 7 and 6 digits.  However, my current cell phone number has its 3 digit "prefix" of 200.  It would be impossible to assign a name to that.

As to your original exchange name fo WA for your city, you might try going to the Exchange Name project and look it up.  You can Google its address, or do a search on this forum, it has been discussed here in the past.  Best of luck in your research.

Thank you, that's interesting our area code 612 (we didn't have any others until 2000). WA=92, So I'm not really sure on the changing.

Ben

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: poplar1 on November 17, 2013, 09:48:24 AM
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on November 16, 2013, 10:31:53 PM


But, what really stuck out to me, is the fact, of the extange number, and that it was "WA-.-...." I'm not sure what WA word would be but I thought I could ask.



The following is from the Telephone Exchange Name Project:  http://rcrowe.brinkster.net/tensearch.aspx

 
927 WA7 WAlnut Minneapolis Minnesota USA My grandmother still had WAlnut7 on her telephone dial in the late 1970's. She still has that same number even to this  

ST Sterling Minneapolis Minnesota USA I remember when they added a "1" so our number became ST 1-1055. Loretta Spindler

82 TA Taylor Minneapolis Minnesota usa Growing up in area nanasue  

92 wa walnut minneapolis minnesota usa Grew up with this exchsnge. 922 walnut 2 mike


Cool, exactly the answer I wanted, now, I plan to use these to make authentic look dial cards.

Thanks!~ :)

Ben

HarrySmith

I remeber my parents and my relatives in Stamford, Connecticut all had DA prefix on the dial cards. The entire town was one prefix at that time 32X-XXXX. Some were 325, 322 , 323 & 327, that I recall, I guess the other numbers were used but I do not remember because nobody in my family had one. You could tell which part of town someone lived in by the third digit. The 325 on my parents phone indicated the Cove Island area ;D
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: HarrySmith on November 17, 2013, 12:14:57 PM
I remeber my parents and my relatives in Stamford, Connecticut all had DA prefix on the dial cards. The entire town was one prefix at that time 32X-XXXX. Some were 325, 322 , 323 & 327, that I recall, I guess the other numbers were used but I do not remember because nobody in my family had one. You could tell which part of town someone lived in by the third digit. The 325 on my parents phone indicated the Cove Island area ;D

He, that is pretty cool. It's kind of like finding what numbered crossroad they live on and how far down they are from it in the city.

Ben

HarrySmith

BTW, that was in the late 60's, they still have the same phone number today!!
And so does my aunt. I memorized those numbers so many years ago, we did not have speed diaql back then, I don't think I will ever forget those 2 phone numbers!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"