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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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SUnset2

I'll add my exchange history.
I was born in Seattle with a GArfield telephone number, as we lived on Queen Anne Hill.  I had that for a few months until they went to 7 digit numbers, and GArfield was changed to ATwater 2.  The next year we moved North, and now had a SUnset 2 number.  Recently, when my parents had to move into assisted living, I ported that number to my cell phone to handle business for them.  So I have the same number that I had as a child, and the area code hasn't changed, and I therefore have the same number as 60 years ago.

When I first moved out on my own, I got a 783 number (would have been originally SUnset 3), and moving again I was assigned a 283 (ATwater 3) number.  Our most recent move took us to the North part of King County (near Brinybay), where we should have an EMerson (36X) number, but we still have the 283 number thanks to local number portation.

I am attaching photos from Google Maps of the offices that I have been served by.

SUnset2

To add to bit more trivia, the GArfield exchange was originally a Panel switching system until the 1970s, when it was moved to an expansion of the ATwater office to be served by (I think) at 1A ESS.   The building was converted to library storage.  Recently, plans are underway to convert it into apartments.

The SUnset office was originally manual, and was converted to No. 1 Crossbar about 1946.  That was replaced with a No. 5 ESS about 1984.  EMerson was built new in 1948 for No. 1 Crossbar, with some units of No. 5 Crossbar added later.  I think it is all No. 5 ESS now.

jiimhoff

SUnset 6- was mine growing up in the 60's and 70's in Brookfield WI. 

dc4code

Nice CO Building pictures!

I know someone who a couple days ago was going down the street and visited one of his local CO Buildings, He peeked through the window and saw in the dark, Step-By-Step Strowger equipment!! STILL There! (Obviously it's been long since cut-over, But the equipment remains!)


HowardPgh

Where I grew up, it was HIland 1, EMerson 1 and 2, MOntrose 1. This was the East End of Pittsburgh.
Some other places nearby had a different name that used the same first two digits, so the third one had to be different.
Where I live today it was BRandywine 1.
Howard

markosjal

I just listed an "old school" phone umber on ebay , just to see what happens. it is 503 256 XXXX. It has been in the family for many years and an elderly family member recently passed away. It was one of the original Portland Ma Bell prefixes and Back in the day it was ALpine. I will always remember asking my mon what My uncle's number was an it was always "Alpine2 XXXX" that she would answer with
Phat Phantom's phreaking phone phettish

Kellogg Kitt

Quote from: markosjal on November 17, 2022, 02:32:29 AMI just listed an "old school" phone umber on ebay , just to see what happens. it is 503 256 XXXX. It has been in the family for many years and an elderly family member recently passed away. It was one of the original Portland Ma Bell prefixes and Back in the day it was ALpine. I will always remember asking my mon what My uncle's number was an it was always "Alpine2 XXXX" that she would answer with

I thought buying and selling telephone numbers was a violation of FCC regulations.  Apparently, either that has changed, or it is not enforced anymore.  I see plenty of them for sale on eBay.

Yours might be difficult to sell without revealing what the entire number is.


markosjal

Quote from: 3463319 on November 17, 2022, 09:41:08 PMI thought buying and selling telephone numbers was a violation of FCC regulations.  Apparently, either that has changed, or it is not enforced anymore.  I see plenty of them for sale on eBay.

Yours might be difficult to sell without revealing what the entire number is.



I do not think that is accurate I have seen MANY "premium"  numbers for sale
Phat Phantom's phreaking phone phettish

Kellogg Kitt

I read it many years ago.  That rule probably went by the wayside a long time ago.  It would probably be impossible to enforce today anyway, with number portability and so many "telephone companies" having access to the numbers.