Southwest Portland in Multnomah County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

The First Telephone Exchange in Portland

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, November 25, 2021

1. The First Telephone Exchange in Portland Marker

Inscription. On this site, August 2, 1878, at No. 3 First Avenue, Portland’s first telephone exchange began operations in a back room of the Western Union Building. The American Telephone and District Telegraph Company’s pioneer switchboard served 32 customers.

Erected 1976 by Oregon Telephone Pioneers of Pacific Northwest Bell.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is August 2, 1878.

Location. 45° 31.344′ N, 122° 40.281′ W. Marker is in Portland, Oregon, in Multnomah County. It is in Southwest Portland. It is at the intersection of SW First Ave and SW Ankeny Street, on the right when traveling south on SW First Ave. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Portland OR 97204, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge

and in the Willamette Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western

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Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ankeny Arcade (within shouting distance of this marker); Benjamin Stark (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Battleship Oregon Memorial Marine Park (about 700 feet away); Dielschneider Building (about 700 feet away); Figurehead and Foremast of the Battleship Oregon (about 800 feet away); In Remembrance of the United States Battleship Oregon (about 800 feet away); Fechheimer & White Building (about 800 feet away); A.H. Francis Building - 1854 (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.

Another marker is no longer nearby. New Market Theatre (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).

More about this marker. The marker resides under the original cast-iron colonnade of the North Wing of the New Market Block building, which was constructed in 1872, and destroyed in 1956. The colonnade was salvaged from demolition and restored to its original condition.

Site of the first telephone exchange in Portland image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, November 25, 2021

2. Site of the first telephone exchange in Portland

Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2024, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 432 times since then and 91 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 13, 2024, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.