The museum, established by retired ED TEL employees, boasts a step-by-step private automatic telephone exchange building; outdoor displays of poles, cables and splicing tools; two position Kellogg universal switchboard; as well as antique telephones and research documents related to telecom technology.
This collection comprises wooden three box wall phones equipped with magneto cranks and switch hooks; manual system phones used by operators before automated switching systems were implemented; as well as a working Central Office step switch.
Antique Telephones
People collect vintage phones for various reasons: to honor an iconic design era or connect with technology’s past; or simply add a nostalgic touch to their home decor. There are even those who find great joy in building and repairing these classic devices themselves!
This collection includes desk and wall telephones from across time periods, such as candlestick models from earlier use when central offices weren’t yet standard practice. While these early telephones can still be used today for receiving calls but cannot make calls due to being noncompliant with modern phone systems, their popularity remains strong today as collectors appreciate them for their novelty value.
Viaduct Electric Company of Baltimore, MD produced this rotary dial wall phone between 1883 and 1885; it became standard across Bell Systems until 1900. Powered by three glass bottled batteries it powered the transmitter and receiver simultaneously.
Telecommunications Equipment
The museum features an expansive collection of antique telecommunications equipment. Through an interactive experience, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of telecommunications history while engaging with artifacts from yesteryear that provide insight into how communication technology has advanced our lives over the years.
The telephone museum features many original and replica pieces of telecom equipment, such as three box wall phones – an evolutionary form of candlestick wall phones- and coffin style manual system telephones used up until the early part of the 20th century when transmitter and receiver functions were combined into one unit.
The museum features a working central office step switch with operator panel and crossbar electromechanical switching, novelty phones, as well as an impressive collection of historical documents dating back to Alexander Graham Bell’s Gallows Frame and Thomas Watson’s Thumper Phone to modern wireless technology.
Research Documents
Roseville, Alberta-based Roseville Telecom Museum provides visitors with an exciting glimpse into the development of telecommunications technology through an impressive collection of antique telephone equipment and research materials that serve to educate and engage visitors. Displays include rotary dial wall phones including novelty Princess phones; wooden Magneto crank telephones including one by Thomas Edison himself (with its rare Blake transmitter); candlestick wall phones; numerous manual system phones imported to Edmonton in 1885 as well as working Central Office step switches with operator panels and crossbar electromechanical switching; outside plant displays featuring line insulators/pole splicing tools; as well as an expansive library cataloged Telecommunications publications from many publishers around the globe – as well as much more.
The museum’s collection illustrates how telecommunications technology has progressed since Alexander Graham Bell first used his Gallows Frame and Thomas Watson introduced his Thumper Phone up until modern wireless technologies such as WiFi. It recognizes and honors generations of linemen who built America’s telecommunication infrastructure by erecting poles, laying cable, and finding technological solutions to ever-evolving customer demands. Open to the public and available to school groups or sightseeing tours alike for tours into its past, this museum gives its collections.
Telephone Directories
Telephone directories provide names and contact numbers of subscribers in a given area. Our collection features yellow pages as well as city business or classified directories which can help researchers to discover more about an ancestor’s profession or if they owned their own homes.
According to the directories available, some may be free while others require payment or subscription. Paid options often offer more detailed and regularly updated information, as well as advanced features like reverse phone lookup and CRM integration; however, some individuals may feel uneasy having their contact info readily available online.
Roseville, Alberta offers visitors an intriguing museum with antique rotary dial wall phones – including novelty Princess phones; candlestick wall phones; manual system telephones imported to Edmonton in 1885; working Central Office step switches (including operator panels and crossbar electromechanical switching); outside plant displays of poles, lines and insulators; as well as a telecom reference library – for an interactive exploration of telecom history. Don’t miss this unique museum and experience first hand what has made telecom history what it is today!
