Pay Phones From Around the Globe

[Westrex]

In Columbus Ohio, here are a couple of pay phone locations. I'm not sure if all of these are still there.

I.    Across from Jeni's @ Easton Town Center
II.    3999 Worth Avenue, Easton Town Center
III.    CMH Airport
IV.    White Castle @ High Street & Greenlawn Avenue
V.    COSI(?), may not be connected, probably for display
VI.    3968 Townsfair Way, Easton Town Center
VII.    1st Floor Lobby of Franklin County Municipal Court   

[Westrex]

Here's a Reddit topic about pay phones in Columbus: https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/15bj48s/where_to_find_pay_phones_in_columbus_oh/

[Westrex]

Another phone in Columbus, this time at the Golden Phoenix Restaurant. Rather ironic that almost everyone in the lobby in the photo (1st link) is on their cell phones, and the pay phone is sitting in the corner, not being used.

[Westrex]

Here are some telephone manhole covers from around the world.

The Verizon, Qwest, the various Bell System covers, and US West Communications manhole covers are from the USA, as well as the GTE (General Telephone).

The rectangular manhole covers are from London, I didn't get a picture of the larger "Post Office Telegraphs" though.

More Bell System covers: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ec/9d/b4/ec9db463fa49fd2bfc6a5d866b6ccf3d.jpg, https://new-pictures.myinsulators.com/pictures/541351416.jpg, https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/ma-bell-manhole-cover-lisa-gifford.jpg, https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3625/3469183677_a669298531_z.jpg?zz=1.

GTE (General Telephone): https://live.staticflickr.com/3443/3996839105_0c44d8538e.jpg, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/GTE_manhole_cover_-_Hillsboro%2C_Oregon.JPG/220px-GTE_manhole_cover_-_Hillsboro%2C_Oregon.JPG, https://ourbaytown.com/Around_Baytown/images/mv2-010f.jpg,

[Westrex]

Dead pay phones around Ohio:

- 1900 Neyer Ave, Cincinnati Ohio
- 2 Dakota Avenue, Columbus, Ohio
- 843 Parsons Ave, Columbus, Ohio
- 563 E Columbus St, Columbus, Ohio
- 825 Broad St, Columbus, Ohio

[Westrex]

Here's one I saw last week at the Fred Meyer filling station on Hwy. 99E just South of Milwaukie Oregon.  It looks like it is still working, though I didn't test it.

The phone at the gas station is here if anyone wants to visit it: 13625 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie, OR 97222

[Westrex]

Here are pay phone locations from Columbus Ohio, most of these phones are gone, but their enclosures and mounting plates remain. I'll give the Google Maps locations in the next post.

Location:                  Status:

Scioto Park Parking Lot    Broken Handset           
Honey Bee Drive Thru        Gone
2805 W. Broad St.          No dial tone
High St. & Greenlawn Ave.    No dial tone
Straight Up convenience.    Gone
Steele Ave. & Hauge Ave.      Gone
1937 E. Livingston St.      Gone
Casa Villa Motel            Status Unknown
215 E Rich St.              Gone
693 5th Ave.                Gone
3229 S Hamilton Rd.        Gone
2097 E Livingston St.      Gone
COSI                        Display phone
4th & 11th St.              all 3 are Gone
Rest Area 03-35, Wayne I-71-196  all 2 are Gone
Rest Area 03-40, Medina 1-71-224.2  Gone
Honey Dip Donuts            Gone
10518 Superior Ave Cleveland, OH    Gone
10502 Superior Ave Cleveland, OH    Status Unknown, but probably gone
10917 Superior Ave Cleveland, OH    No dial tone
11003 Superior Ave Cleveland, OH    No dial tone

[Westrex]

All links here are tinyurl's to keep post length & size down.

-Scioto Park (sports Ameritech/Bell branding): https://tinyurl.com/3p32pueu
-Honey Bee Drive Thru: https://tinyurl.com/39ywanfv
-2805 W. Broad St. (This pay phone has an intact receiver, showing that there may be hope for this phone, since it's broken in the picture): https://tinyurl.com/bd6hh59x
-Steele Ave. & Hauge Ave.: https://tinyurl.com/p8swf3bj
-High St. & Greenlawn Ave.: https://tinyurl.com/4u8jamvs
-Straight Up Convenience Store: https://tinyurl.com/48yz762f
-1937 E Livingston Ave.: https://tinyurl.com/3duybb2v
-1937 E Livingston Ave.: https://tinyurl.com/3nt75tkn
-Casa Villa Motel: https://tinyurl.com/2kwfx7xt
-215 E Rich St.: https://tinyurl.com/4wspvncb
-693 5th Ave.: https://tinyurl.com/3vpspf6z
-3229 S Hamilton Rd. (Only the sign remains, this was once a Sohio gasoline station, I think): https://tinyurl.com/ybw4bxjv
-2097 E Livingston St.: https://tinyurl.com/umwxhkbj
-4th & 11th St.; https://tinyurl.com/yx8eax75
-Rest Area 03-35, Wayne I-71-196 (In building, mount plates remain): https://tinyurl.com/ycyvr42n
-Rest Area 03-40, Medina 1-71-224.2 (In building, enclosure remains, pretty sure it was like this one: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=26304.msg258871#msg258871: https://tinyurl.com/535pmmne
-Honey Dip Donuts: https://tinyurl.com/tp95a33v
-10518 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH: https://tinyurl.com/mwv32ffb
-10502 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH: https://tinyurl.com/59a3yk8w
-10917 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH: https://tinyurl.com/52tkevap
-11003 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH: https://tinyurl.com/bderbzvb

[Westrex]

I believe this pay phone used to be in the North End of Columbus Ohio. However, the Bell System enclosure & phone are now gone, and only the drawing of Uncle Sam remains.

[Westrex]

Thanks for the image @SUnset2. On those Y2K-ish phones w/ credit card slot, if the display works then the phone will usually work (unless if it reads "Out of Service" or something).

In Japan, According to current regulations, city areas are required to have a public pay phone installed every 500 square meters, with non-city areas every kilometer. With this info, I'll go hop on Google Maps and try to find some phones in Japan (probably going to be NTT phones).

Finally did some Google Maps searching. Found a few phones in Japan

1- https://www.google.com/maps/place/FamilyMart/@35.6932808,139.7024748,3a,15.7y,192.81h,88.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdJ9VjW9hcfkQZ0xOOHlygA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m10!1m2!2m1!1zSmFwYW4sIOOAkjE2MC0wMDIyIFRva3lvLCBTaGluanVrdSBDaXR5LCBTaGluanVrdSwgMyBDaG9tZeKIkjIx4oiSNyDmnbHmlrDjg5Pjg6s!3m6!1s0x60188cd9f23ee37f:0xf44d53035da5bd1a!8m2!3d35.693057!4d139.702425!15sClBKYXBhbiwg44CSMTYwLTAwMjIgVG9reW8sIFNoaW5qdWt1IENpdHksIFNoaW5qdWt1LCAzIENob21l4oiSMjHiiJI3IOadseaWsOODk-ODq1pVIlNqYXBhbiDjgJIgMTYwIDAwMjIgdG9reW8gc2hpbmp1a3UgY2l0eSBzaGluanVrdSAzIGNob21lIOKIkiAyMSDiiJIgNyDmnbEg5pawIOODk-ODq5IBEWNvbnZlbmllbmNlX3N0b3Jl4AEA!16s%2Fg%2F1hhvsc4mw?entry=ttu

2-https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7019104,139.6954698,3a,32.9y,223.57h,75.38t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1srxOes7ez5DSxunaiYK1lOQ!2e0!5s20180901T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu. Click "Latest Date" for another street view.

3-https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7016096,139.6871767,3a,18.6y,3.33h,87.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPqXncamQ4cbB2S6j2DgDlQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

[Westrex]

Finally did some Google Maps searching. Found a few phones in Japan

1- https://www.google.com/maps/place/FamilyMart/@35.6932808,139.7024748,3a,15.7y,192.81h,88.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdJ9VjW9hcfkQZ0xOOHlygA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m10!1m2!2m1!1zSmFwYW4sIOOAkjE2MC0wMDIyIFRva3lvLCBTaGluanVrdSBDaXR5LCBTaGluanVrdSwgMyBDaG9tZeKIkjIx4oiSNyDmnbHmlrDjg5Pjg6s!3m6!1s0x60188cd9f23ee37f:0xf44d53035da5bd1a!8m2!3d35.693057!4d139.702425!15sClBKYXBhbiwg44CSMTYwLTAwMjIgVG9reW8sIFNoaW5qdWt1IENpdHksIFNoaW5qdWt1LCAzIENob21l4oiSMjHiiJI3IOadseaWsOODk-ODq1pVIlNqYXBhbiDjgJIgMTYwIDAwMjIgdG9reW8gc2hpbmp1a3UgY2l0eSBzaGluanVrdSAzIGNob21lIOKIkiAyMSDiiJIgNyDmnbEg5pawIOODk-ODq5IBEWNvbnZlbmllbmNlX3N0b3Jl4AEA!16s%2Fg%2F1hhvsc4mw?entry=ttu

2-https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7019104,139.6954698,3a,32.9y,223.57h,75.38t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1srxOes7ez5DSxunaiYK1lOQ!2e0!5s20180901T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu. Click "Latest Date" for another street view.

3-https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7016096,139.6871767,3a,18.6y,3.33h,87.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPqXncamQ4cbB2S6j2DgDlQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

And another, more unusual phone booth in Japan.

Location: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.5762586,139.6547912,3a,15y,74.03h,87.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shNDutoD5_PoF9omrcrKbIQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu\

Image of the phone: https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/DP-1.jpg

News Story: https://soranews24.com/2021/06/29/one-of-japans-rarest-craziest-pay-phones-is-hanging-out-in-a-tree-shaped-phone-booth%E3%80%90photos%E3%80%91/

Pay phones like this one: https://soranews24.com/2020/01/16/in-search-of-japans-hidden-double-pay-phones/

[Westrex]

Here's a sign I spotted while I was in Columbus, Ohio. I believe the only thing left of the sign is a sliver with the Bell logo, as the other chunk of sign has broken off (I think) and then gone.

Sign: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9774715,-83.0027918,3a,30.5y,225.88h,80.81t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sImKIrJ2BwlagB_7rnJ8N8Q!2e0!5s20160901T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu.

[SUnset2]

Coming home from California I noticed a couple of working pay phones at the Dunnigan Northbound Rest Area on I-5.

Location:  https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8919377,-121.9771418,164m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

From the road, I could see a couple more of these walk-up booths at another rest area further North.  I didn't stop at all the California rest areas (I had only two cups of coffee), so I don't know if all of them have pay phones.

[Westrex]

Coming home from California I noticed a couple of working pay phones at the Dunnigan Northbound Rest Area on I-5.

Location:  https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8919377,-121.9771418,164m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

From the road, I could see a couple more of these walk-up booths at another rest area further North.  I didn't stop at all the California rest areas (I had only two cups of coffee), so I don't know if all of them have pay phones.

Thanks for the update, SUnset 2.

[Westrex]

These old phone booths (probably from Mountain Bell) are at the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park. They don't have pay phones in them anymore, probably free-phones or courtesy phones.