This page updated September 11, 2009
The persons who were the switchboard operators had this set up in their homes for the most part. Many times in order to make a call, a person had to reach the switchboard operator who would in turn connect with another operator and sometimes a third operator forming a chain before the call was completed. It was understood by most residents that unless it was an extreme emergency, you didn't contact and wake up the switchboard operator after 9 pm or before 7 am. With the nature of work that the switchboard operator performed, many persons used them for a source of community information as they were privy to much of what was going on such as deaths, illnesses and fires. It should also be stated that the switchboard operators were different from the "telegraph operators".
Owen County
The CARLTON family--Quincy
Edythe McCULLOUGH--Quincy Morgan County
Putnam County
