H97.68.1

Black telephone, possibly made of bakelite, with a dial on the face, numbers: 1, ABC 2, DEF 3, GHI 4, JKL 5, MNO 6, PRS 7, TUV 8, WXY 9, Z operator 0. Area code marked is 415 (which initially was the major Bay Area area code). Telephone number is "Bee Hive", which would translate into BEacon 3 - 4483. The phone has the original black cord from the receiver to the instrument; however, the gray cord and the white wall plug represent a newer technology, and were added by the donor's husband. The receiver (the hand-held piece) fits into a cradle at the top of the instrument; two buttons in the cradle release when the receiver is lifted, thereby connecting the call; when the receiver is "hung" back in the cradle, depressing the buttons, the call is disconnected. BEacon 2, 3, 4 and 5 were Richmond/El Cerrito numbers which were initiated after World War II, along with a dialing system in that part of the East Bay. Previous to that time telephone numbers were no more than four ts long, and "party lines" added a letter at the end of the digets, all of this information was given to (spoken to) a live telephone operator, who then connected the call. With the growing population in the area, and the growing demands for quicker communication, dialing grew in popularity as it grew in use.

Used: Jean Nelson | Communication | El Cerrito | Richmond