Telephone Treasure Maps

[HarrySmith]

Just read an email on the list that Ron Christianson of the ATCA is offering copies of a booklet listing locations of over ten thousand independent telephone office locations. Possibly a source of a barn full of old phones. He goes on to state the largest stash of phones he ever got was from one of those locations 15 years ago. If anyone is interested I can ask him about cross posting it here. I was thinking it might be worth a shot!

[stub]

HarrySmith,
                  I would be interested!!!   Thanks, Harry.         stub

[HarrySmith]

Ron said go for it so here it is:

Hello Phello Phone Phonatics,

Attention Antique Telephone Hunters!

I have just acquired six original copies of an 8 1/2" X 11" booklet titled 'U.S. Independent Telephone Industry'  Within these booklets there is a full page map that shows the approximate location of 10,680 Independent Telephone Companies in the U.S. that were in operation as late as 1960.  Each one of these location dots has the potential for a barn or warehouse full of antique telephones & parts.  I have already found five huge stashes of antique telephones and parts within 200 miles of where I live that are indicated by the dots on this map.
There are also the names and locations of 126 of the largest Independent Telephone Companies that were in business in the U.S. in 1958.

If you want to purchase one of the above booklets, the cost will be $15 plus $1.55 shipping.  Please send cash, check or Money Order to:

  Ron Christianson
  P O Box  43
  Cave Junction  OR  97523

FREE!
I wrote a story about 15 years ago describing my first warehouse find.  This story describes just one of the warehouses indicated by a 'dot' on the above described map.
If you are interested, let me know and I will email you a free copy of the story titled  "An Antique Telephone Collectors Dream Come True" (about 5 pages long)

Thanks,

Ron Christianson  #822        541.592.4123

      Visit "Cyber Telephone Museum"
       http://www.museumphones.com

I guess it is cheap enough but being unemployed I cannot go for it. If anyone gets one maybe you can share it with us?

[Doug Rose]

Just so everyone knows,  Ron has been advertsing the "Telephone Treasure Map" for at least 15 years on the ATCA and later the ATCA List Serv. ...Doug

[Jim Stettler]

It would be hard to believe that in 2011 telco warehouses still have treasure.
In my experience any thing of value grows legs and walks out the telco door all by itself without the requirement of a treasure map. The only treasure map you need is the obits from your local paper and wait for the estate sale of a Bell employee. Sad but true. The vultures work that way but i can't.

You would be surprised at the amount of "value" that still resides in old  warehouses and outbuildings. Many telco's still have lots'o crap. Check  the independants.  10 years ago I tracked down several Telcos with large quanities of rotary phones. I didn't buy up anything. I suspect part of the crap is still around.
Another Time I check with an independant. They didn't have anything, but they refered me to their cheif installer, who had kept lots of stuff.

I ended up with a small pickup load of phones for a few $100. Amongst this stuff was a large  barrel with a dozen beige AE 3 slot phones .


As of last year there was some NOS colored 302's in a climate controlled goverment warehouse.


As Far as Ron's book.

I bought a copy years ago. It was a nice read on Ron's finds, However the map is a map of the US with dots were the independants used to be.  You would probably do better with a 1950's "Telephony" industry  directory.
Jim

[Greg G.]

But half the fun is in trying.  I often go "junking" around to thrift stores in my area.  Most of the time I find nothing but 70s-90s Chinese crap, but occasionally I'll find something worth grabbing.  I don't just look for phones though, although that's the first area I make a beeline to.

[rp2813]

I agree with the statement above regarding telcos hanging on to equipment.  Back in 2000 when I worked for Pacific Bell/SBC/AT&T,  I went to the Reno business office to sit in on a training class for a new system I'd be supporting.  I was amazed to see a bunch of old A/V equipment that had been useless for years.  Including a big hulking Betamax that was operated by large mechanical "piano key" tabs.  It was clear to me that Ma Bell's culture of never throwing anything out was alive and well at Nevada Bell.  Unless they have closed that office (and I kind of doubt that they have) I'd wager that  Betamax is still sitting on a cart in that same conference room.