Telephones have long been part of our everyday lives, yet their innovation was once at the cutting-edge. At Edmonton Telecommunication Museum we explore its rich history in Edmonton and beyond.

Contributions in this issue explore how telephone use has shaped both everyday practices and identity projects, challenging conventional approaches in communication history by adding transnational dimensions.

The History of the Telephone

Today we take for granted what was once revolutionary technology: telephones are one of the world’s most widely-used communications devices.

The telephone was developed from improvements made to telegraph technology – transmitting both an electrical signal and sound. Two inventors, Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell, independently invented telephones almost simultaneously; Bell patented his version first while some suggest Italian inventor Antonio Meucci may have built one earlier than 1849.

From a practical viewpoint, the telephone has revolutionized our lives by providing instantaneous communication without having to write letters. It allowed people to instantly and without written notes communicate quickly while also increasing privacy by eliminating unexpected visits from relatives and door-to-door salesmen. But at times its use encroached upon domestic seclusion by allowing others to listen in on personal conversations or watch switchboard operators connect calls; but in spite of all its disadvantages it continues to evolve in our society today.

The Artifacts

The Telephone Historical Centre is Canada’s only telephone museum with collections dating back to 1885, featuring hands-on exhibits that trace telecommunications technology’s journey over time. School and children programs are held regularly at this museum.

The museum features an assortment of artifacts, such as antique rotary dial phones, three box wall telephones, and old switchboards. Visitors can experience line switching the old way by placing their names in a phone book.

This museum is open year-round to the public and can accommodate groups of up to 20 visitors at one time. Established by retired employees of Edmonton Digital Telephone Exchange Ltd (ED TEL), its doors first opened for business in Old Strathcona neighbourhood that December. Later that year, it moved to Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre for storage purposes – with the goal of collecting, researching, organizing, documenting, exhibiting and storing materials related to telephone history in Edmonton.

The Exhibits

The museum provides visitors with an accessible history of telecommunications, which they can discover either through guided or self-guided tours. Visitors will have the chance to view telephones, equipment and tools used in telecommunications as well as collections such as copper cabling, manhole covers and standard insulators.

THG Museum houses an original red K-6 British call box with an intriguing history: its source was found via shortwave radio amateurism; through it they managed to connect with someone in England who shipped the box over.

The THG collection also includes a manual switchboard and Step-by-Step Private Automatic Branch Exchange that demonstrate the stepping switch principle, as well as a replica of Alexander Graham Bell’s famous telephone used on March 10, 1876 to send his famous message to Mr. Watson (one of the first words spoken ever over telephone). The museum provides interactive exhibits suitable for visitors of all ages.

The Volunteers

The Telephone Historical Centre’s volunteer program is key to its work. Volunteers provide invaluable assistance across a range of areas – from staffing the Museum Information Desk and store to researching artifacts and library materials; many become docents who assist with museum guiding of groups or school visits; others volunteer their time in gardening projects or set up displays at community events such as Wildrose Antique Show.

Recent cooperation between the museum and Judith Dyck’s communications students at the University of Alberta saw them conduct a study on Edmonton’s communication history for her graduate class COMM 505: Utilizing and Managing Communications Technologies. Their amazing paper entitled “The Role of Telephone in Edmonton as an Expression of Civic Identity” can be found here on this website.

Volunteers are needed for an exciting project to survey structures located on Olmsted Tract. It will be an amazing learning opportunity and experience! This opportunity presents itself to those with an affinity for history.

SNET maintains both historical and artifactual material that chronicles its past, such as exchange histories; personal recollections associated with SNET employees and events; buildings; and line maps.

The collection also comprises equipment, catalogues and photographs documenting telephone manufacturing from its first factory in Brantford in 1878 to today’s state-of-the-art technologies.

Collections

The Collection features artifacts that document the development and history of telephone technology and equipment, spanning its early days up to modern-day uses. Items include equipment used by early telephone operators, tools employed by linemen, pieces from old Edmonton tests wires as souvenirs and much more.

This collection also contains scrapbooks and historical photographs; oversize materials and fragile photos require special care, being stored separately in boxed sets.

The Collection houses historic documents and records from Bell Canada and its predecessors that trace the development of telecommunications in Alberta over time. Files cover exchange histories, facts and figures for towns and cities, buildings and storms as well as key figures within company history as well as comprehensive files on foreign telephone history as well as Yellow Pages advertising samples; making this collection unique in Canada and an invaluable resource for researchers, students and general enthusiasts.

Exhibits

The Telephone Artifact Collection holds numerous artifacts related to its history. These holdings serve as evidence of Canada’s development as a nation through telecom. With comprehensive files on Bell Telephone Company of Canada, Northern Telecom, independent and connecting Canadian telephone companies as well as international telecommunications such as Telecommunications in Foreign Countries it provides insight into Canadian telecom and beyond. Photographs, catalogues and equipment that trace manufacturing from Brantford Ontario (1878) all the way through Bell-Northern Research & Development Laboratories today; along with documents that describe this industry, its participants and accomplishments – this collection provides insight into Canada’s growth as a nation within Telecommunications history.

The Telephone Historical Centre’s archived holdings and collection holdings offer invaluable resources for researchers and students studying telecommunications. Many of these resources are accessible to the general public via exhibitions and programs.

Education

The Telephone Historical Centre offers a variety of educational programs. Ranging from workshops to school tours, students can discover telecommunications history and technology by visiting either our physical museum or exploring our virtual collections.

Our collection consists of vintage phone directories dating back to 1895; technical manuals dating from the 1800s; and other books of interest about communications technology. Many are originals, such as The Telephone: An Account of Electricity, Magnetism and Sound with Instructions for Making a Speaking Telephone published just one year after its invention!

Explore Alberta’s tale of telephone use during its rapid development from government and business services, home communications, and creating the modern province it is today. Uncover equipment, competitions and people from this exciting period that helped foster its birth.

Events

Alexander Graham Bell successfully brought the invention of the telephone to market. While Italian inventor Antonio Meucci first patented his idea for one in 1849 and French innovator Charles Bourseul created a prototype phone in 1854, Alexander Graham Bell took it one step further by filing his patent in 1876 in the United States.

Discover the history of wired telephone networks, other inventions that inspired it and the people involved with building and improving it at this interactive museum. Visitors can explore old-fashioned operator switchboards, wall-mounted magneto phones and electromechanical marvels which paved the way to today’s electronic devices.

Discover Alberta’s Telecommunications Story–its achievements, politics, competitions, equipment and personalities–in the wake of the end of fur trade. This section introduces this freewheeling period through virtual exhibits, digital collections and educational interactives. In addition, the museum houses an expansive communications collection from around the globe including replica Bell Telephone Company buildings; an operating telegraph pole complete with climbing equipment; hundreds of telephone-related items.

The invention of the telephone revolutionized communications and opened up many avenues. If you own a business, understanding its history will enable you to adapt quickly to change and leverage new methods of communication to maximize its success. Visit Telephone Historical Centre Outreach Programs for more information – maybe even apply as a Student Caller!

The Impact of the Telephone on the World

The telephone and its predecessors telegraph and radio forever altered communication, freeing people to communicate over long distances without physically transporting themselves to meet.

The telephone has also enabled many to form closer relationships than would have otherwise been possible, especially within businesses such as stockbroking or accounting services, who could maintain contact with clients much easier than before.

But telephone use had some drawbacks, including compromised privacy issues. Early telephone users could sometimes hear your conversations on public phones which could allow eavesdroppers to overhear personal conversations as you conducted business on them.

These negatives were addressed in the twentieth century through advancements in telecom technology, particularly digital networks, making the telephone one of the greatest innovations ever invented. Today it continues to shape lives more profoundly than any other invention ever could.

The Impact of the Telephone on Business

One of the greatest inventions ever, the telephone has had an extraordinary effect on business. Without it, communication would have been much harder and businesses couldn’t operate effectively.

Before the invention of telephones, people relied solely on word of mouth or written correspondence in order to communicate. This made it hard for friends and family living far apart to stay in contact with each other.

As soon as telephone technology was created, people could connect quickly and effortlessly from any part of the country or world, creating a sense of community and making it easier for individuals to discuss everyday issues.

The Impact of the Telephone on Education

As soon as the telephone was introduced, it revolutionized communication methods between individuals. Now they could instantly call anyone anywhere around the globe instead of waiting days or weeks for letters to arrive by post.

The invention of mobile phones also revolutionized education. Students could now use them during lectures to take notes, as well as access a wealth of information at any given moment.

These changes facilitated learning for all; from children who were just entering school to working adults looking to continue their education.

Even as educators recognize the many positive uses for mobile phones, many educators remain concerned about their negative repercussions for students. Studies indicate that when students become distracted by their mobile phones they find it harder to focus on their studies.

The Impact of the Telephone on Society

The telephone was an immense advance in communications technology that revolutionized how we connect. It allowed people to stay in contact across distance or geography barriers while unifying families and friends who may otherwise have been distantly located.

Alexander Graham Bell created the telephone in 1876, quickly realizing its potential as a means of communicating. Although its invention was revolutionary, there were also negative aspects.

One of the key aspects of the telephone was its long-distance calling capacity; before its invention, communication between distant individuals could only occur through costly couriers or expensive trips.

The telephone has also made marketing products much simpler for companies. Classified ads enable businesses to promote themselves more easily while customers could directly reach out for information regarding services provided by each business.