The Telephone Historical Centre Collections span the beginnings and development of telephony, from its first factory in Brantford through today’s research laboratories. They feature documents, photographs, and equipment documenting its manufacture from start to finish.

The Telephone Historical Centre features several interactive stations where visitors can experience operating early 20th century phones – wall-mounted hand-crank magneto phones, dial phones and manual switchboards are among them.

Telephones

The Telephone Historical Centre Collections contain a diverse assortment of telecommunications artifacts. These include antique and modern rotary dial phones, switchboards, telephone kiosks and other forms of technology related to telecommunications.

These items showcase Edmonton’s history of communications; for example, one of the manual telephones featured here first came into use in Edmonton back in 1885.

Early automatic switching telephones that could make calls without needing a line operator first appeared in use in the 1920s.

Bell Canada’s telephone historical collection spans from the 1870s to present day, documenting manufacturing of telephones and development of telephone networks as well as Bell’s role in this development.

Switchboards

Switchboards were essential components of the telecom network, connecting circuits between telephone lines and providing points of intersection. Over time, manual switchboards were eventually replaced by automated telephone exchanges.

The Telephone Historical Centre Collections features a two-position Kellogg Universal switchboard installed at Gridley in 1946. It provides an interactive visitor display enabling operators to connect telephone circuits between cord pairs and lamp pairs using three toggle switches.

Each cord pair is connected by two keys that the operator can use to ring local or long distance phones physically or by “flash,” allowing both parties to speak simultaneously with that cord pair.

Operators could also assist customers in placing direct-dialed calls directly to distant cities if their local operator had been informed that a particular phone number could be dialed directly by long distance operators. In larger cities, special numbers, such as 112, would be dialed directly in order to connect directly with long distance providers.

Telephone Kiosks

The Telephone Historical Centre Collections offers long-term exhibits of antique telephones and related telecommunications technology, dating back from manual switchboards to automated switching systems.

There are interactive stations where visitors can experience history first-hand by taking on the role of an early 20th century telephone operator. These hands-on displays feature audiovisual presentations, background projections and musical offerings.

Some kiosks listed by BT as historically or architecturally significant are responsible for their color, components, materials and repositioning; it is therefore advised that any painting, structural repairs or inspections be completed by companies experienced with dealing with these structures.

Britain’s red Telephone Kiosk, or K6, was one of eight kiosk types introduced by the General Post Office between 1926 and 1983. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, these four-sided cast-iron and glass boxes with domed roofs remain widely visible across Britain today.

Oral Histories

Oral histories are an invaluable way of reconstructing the past, acting as an ideal alternative to correspondence files, diaries and personal notes as sources for historical knowledge. Oral histories connect directly to participants of an event and clarify what has and hasn’t been said regarding an issue; providing insights which cannot be found through written records alone.

Oral history is an interview-based process used to gather primary source materials, such as audio or video recordings of interviews conducted between an oral historian and their subjects (narrators). Its goal is to capture original historical information that might otherwise go undocumented.

An oral historian should conduct interviews in an ethical and respectful manner, using research-driven questions to address issues raised. A good interviewer must also have empathy for his or her interviewee and an ability to listen empathetically; otherwise it becomes just another technique used for recording rather than an art form.

The telephone has revolutionized human communication. Additionally, its advent has opened doors for new businesses, fostered innovation and significantly impacted our world today.

Although its history has been extensively written about and revised numerous times over, the telephone remains an indispensable part of daily life today and must be evaluated according to its role in contemporary societies.

The Invention of the Telephone

The telephone revolutionized communication; you can call any location in the world to get instantaneous responses to any inquiry you might have.

Alexander Graham Bell was an extraordinary engineer who realized telegraphy could be used to transmit speech long distance. He devoted every penny of his salary and labored hard to develop an efficient method for transmitting the sounds of speech over wires.

After months of research, he devised a telephone using both a transmitter and receiver to transmit sound waves produced by human voice over wire. For the transmitter device, an ordinary drum-like device with needle attached was coupled with paper for use as the transmitting medium.

Bell would speak into the open end of his drum, making the paper and needle vibrate and send out current that could travel along its wire to its receiver at the other end. There, sound waves were converted back into sound using diaphragm connected to a receiver for listening purposes.

The Telephone in Business

Telephones may seem outdated technology, but they still play a vital role in business. You can use it to share information across departments, manage customer and client inquiries, book appointments for essential services and host conference calls through it.

Emergency response apps are also an invaluable resource when responding to emergencies or contacting emergency services quickly and effectively, such as police and fire department services, so as to minimize disruption in your business operations.

As a business, you probably use landline, mobile and digital phones to communicate with staff and customers. They allow you to schedule appointments, provide customer service, share updates about forthcoming projects or hold sales meetings over the phone.

The History of the Telephone in Edmonton

Visits to Edmonton’s Telephone Historical Centre provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about telecommunications technology from its early beginnings to today, through interactive exhibits that engage visitors hands-on and immersive multi-media presentations such as Historical Telecommunications Theatre Show.

The Telephone Historical Centre opened its doors to visitors in 1987, making it the largest facility of its kind in Canada. Entry is by donation with group discounts available.

One of the most fascinating aspects of telephones is their capacity to transmit and encrypt messages directly between locations. This is achieved using a diaphragm located on its mouthpiece that vibrates when certain electrical currents vary, thus making communication seamless between locations.

Although the telephone was invented in 1876, its true breakthrough came in 1885 after Government of Canada declared all Bell patents invalid, opening up competition from independent telephone companies against Bell and leading to an apparent decrease in subscribers to Bell Canada.

The Telephone Historical Centre

The Telephone Historical Centre was an Edmonton museum established to preserve the history of telephones. First opening its doors to visitors on December 3, 1987 at an Old Strathcona former telephone exchange building before later moving to its current home at Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre, The Telephone Historical Centre has long been dedicated to this purpose.

The museum features fascinating and educational displays about Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone system as it stands today, from handphones and bell systems through modern communications networks such as IP phones. Exhibits are hands on and interactive; visitors can try their luck at operating the working switching station themselves while learning more about how communications have developed over time.

The Canadian Telephony Museum is unique. Operated by a volunteer committee composed of active pensioners who possess extensive knowledge about telephone history, it offers something for all ages to see and explore during tours led by knowledgeable docents who share their expertise while giving insights into its development over time.