In the course of doing some research into Richmond history, I discovered yet another interesting story at the intersection of ministry and technology. This article from Richmond Magazine , a Chamber of Commerce publication, marvels at how the telephone and the system of connectivity empowering it has changed the city in the fifty years since the introduction of telephones in 1879.
If you’re not familiar with the history of telephones, you may be surprised to know that, prior to the invention of the telephone switchboard (the telephone exchange), pairs of telephones were connected almost like an intercom. It was the invention of the exchange, and its associated service to which you could subscribe, that allowed people to be part of a network. The number of exchanges and subscribers grew, and by 1958 demand for service was so great that telephone numbers with exchange names ( LAkewood-
With that brief historical context, the Richmond Magazine article becomes even more interesting. Noting that Richmond telephone users always recognized the value of the service, this 1928 article looks back to stories of wonder from the “early days” described in the 1879 Richmond Telephonic Exchange directory . It’s fascinating to me how people’s names are given as testimony to the fact that people you know in your community are part of this revolution. There are anecdotes about how the telephone is helpin