Uptown District in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The First Telephone Central Office in Columbus Ohio

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., March 10, 2009

1. The First Telephone Central Office in Columbus Ohio Marker

Inscription. Began service here January 1, 1879. It was located on the second floor of the Sessions Building which then stood on this site.

N. C. Kingsbury Chapter No. 2, Telephone Pioneers of America placed this tablet on the 70th anniversary of the first transmission of speech by telephone on March 10, 1876

Erected 1946 by N. C. Kingsbury Chapter No. 2, Telephone Pioneers of America.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Notable Events. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1916.

Location. 39° 57.895′ N, 83° 0.035′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in the Uptown District. It is on Long Street (U.S. 33), on the right when traveling east. Marker is just east of High Street intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9 E Long Street, Columbus OH 43215, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Columbia Building (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Rankin Building (about 600 feet away); First Office Building of the National Football League, 1927-1939 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Charity Newsies (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Charity Newsies

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(approx. 0.2 miles away); Trinity Episcopal Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); James A. Rhodes (approx. 0.2 miles away); The State House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.

Regarding The First Telephone Central Office in Columbus Ohio. When additional telephone exchanges were installed in Columbus, this one was called the Main exchange. When calling a number in this exchange you asked for “Main” followed by the subscriber’s number. For example, in the 1908 telephone directory, the Police Department is listed at Main 121. An ambulance could be summoned by calling Main 507. And the Columbus Coffin Company was at Main 23. Who had Main 1? The Evans & Turner Fruit Company.

You would lift the receiver to your ear and wait for the operator to speak. She simply said, “number!" and you would say “Main 23.” She would repeat it, “Main 23” and you would say “yes.” She would say, “ringing Main 23” and you would hear silence until the called number answered. Or after a period of time the operator could say “they don’t answer.” Another other phrase you could hear from the operator would be, “Main 23 is busy.”

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., March 10, 2009

2. The First Telephone Central Office in Columbus Ohio Marker

Marker is on building wall above nearest car.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 18, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,997 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 18, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.