Downtown in Sacramento in Sacramento County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Bell Labs Sea Plow

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, February 9, 2025

1. Bell Labs Sea Plow Marker

Inscription. Underwater photograph shows deep-sea divers adjusting the tow line on the sea plow.

The plow, designed by Bell Labs to bury undersea telephone cable below the ocean floor, was used by AT&T to bury the shore-end sections of two transatlantic cables off the coast of New Jersey.

Circa 1967.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Science & Medicine • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.

Location. 38° 34.719′ N, 121° 29.202′ W. Marker is in Sacramento, California, in Sacramento County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of J Street and 15th Street, on the left when traveling east on J Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sacramento CA 95814, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Sacramento Valley

and specifically in the Central Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sacramento Memorial Auditorium (here, next to this marker); Telstar I Satellite (here, next to this marker); First Commercial Modem (a few steps from this marker); The Messiah, 1928 (a few steps from this marker); Bell Solar Battery (a few steps from this marker); Boxing at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium (a few steps from this marker); Sacramento Air Defense Filter Center

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(within shouting distance of this marker); 1958 Directory Operators (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sacramento.

More about this marker. The marker and photo is one of a set of 29 found around two A&T-owned buildings along 14th, J and 15th Streets.

Also see . . . History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications: Submarine Cable Ploughing.

Excerpt: "From the early 1960s, Bell Labs, on behalf of AT&T, developed a series of plough systems (Sea Plow I to V), which were used in the 60s and 70s to bury AT&T’s transoceanic telephone cables on the continental shelf of the USA. These plough designs owed much to the Western Union plough; they produced an open trench 24 inches (60cm) deep, and could operate to water depths of 500m."

(Submitted on February 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Bell Labs Sea Plow photo and marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, February 9, 2025

2. Bell Labs Sea Plow photo and marker

AT&T Building markers along J Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, February 7, 2025

3. AT&T Building markers along J Street

This Sea Plow photo is just off camera, at the base of the second building on the far right of the photo.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on February 12, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.