Orleans in Barnstable County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)
French–Atlantic Cable Company
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
1. French–Atlantic Cable Company Marker
Inscription.
French–Atlantic Cable Company. . French – Atlantic cable company Cape Cod station 1890 – 1959. Oldest cable on Atlantic bed. From storm isolated Cape, first world news of steamer Portland lost off Truro with 200 lives; flashed from Orleans to Brest, France and back over their other cable to New York, November 28, 1898. Closed in 1959 for automation.
French – Atlantic cable company Cape Cod station 1890 – 1959. Oldest cable on Atlantic bed. From storm isolated Cape, first world news of steamer Portland lost off Truro with 200 lives; flashed from Orleans to Brest, France and back over their other cable to New York, November 28, 1898. Closed in 1959 for automation.
Erected by 1976 by American Revolution Bicentennial.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1832.
Location. 41° 47.281′ N, 69° 59.27′ W. Marker is in Orleans, Massachusetts, in Barnstable County. Marker is on S Orleans Rd, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 41 S Orleans Rd, Orleans MA 02653, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regarding French–Atlantic Cable Company. The museum is open for tours. Check the museum's web site for their schedule. During WW II (1940 to 1952) after the fall of France to Germany the station was closed for security reasons.
Also see . . . 1. French Cable Station Museum. (Submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.) 2. French Cable Station. (Submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.) 3. Wheatstone bridge. (Submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.) 4. The Heurtley Magnifier. (Submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.) 5. Portland (shipwreck). (Submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.) 6. Brest, France. (Submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.)
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
2. French–Atlantic Cable Company Marker
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
3. French–Atlantic Cable Company Museum
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
4. French–Atlantic Cable Company Museum Sign
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
5. French–Atlantic Cable Company Marker
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
6. French–Atlantic Cable Company Testing Room
This room contains equipment that was used to determine the location of a fault or break in the cable. Some of the equipment is still operational and can be demonstrated. The device in the center (above the ruler) of the table is a Wheatstone bridge used to calculate the distance to where the undersea cable was broken.
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
7. French–Atlantic Cable Company Testing Room
Heurtley Magnifier used to amplify the weak signal coming from France. There are only three in existence in the world today.
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
8. French–Atlantic Cable Company Repair Room
This is the room that held the equipment used to repair the cable and equipment. There are samples of the early submarine telegraph cable and cables that have been under the sea for decades displayed in this room.
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
9. French–Atlantic Cable Company Repair Room
A piece of the original 1858 Transatlantic Cable donated to the museum by Elizabeth Dyer Haskell.
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
10. French–Atlantic Cable Company Repair Room
Samples of submarine telegraph cable.
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
11. French–Atlantic Cable Company Operations Room
This was where the messages from France were received, recorded, and retransmitted to rest of the country. Most of the equipment still functions and can be demonstrated.
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
12. French–Atlantic Cable Company Operations Room
Photographed By Byron Hooks, September 5, 2014
13. French–Atlantic Cable Company Operations Room
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia. This page has been viewed 581 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. submitted on September 29, 2014, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.