A family tradition since 1948
The Roseville Telephone Museum is one of the best-preserved collections of telephones and telegraph equipment in the United States, and probably, the whole world. And it’s a recommended place for younger generations to visit so they will know more about the evolution of phones and communication devices from simple gadgets to the intricate handheld smartphones that we are using today.
After all, the items displayed in the museum are mostly that non-existent in this day and age. So it’s a great idea for youngsters to know more about the history of telephones so they’ll be able to appreciate the value of these contraptions to our daily lives.
But before you visit the museum, allow us to share a few interesting things just to give a background about this historic place.
So let’s get started…
From Its Earliest History To The Acquisition Of Consolidated Communications
The museum initially started out as the Roseville Telephone Company in 1914. It was owned by William Doyle to serve as a rural telephone service provider in Roseville, California with 160 subscribers. At this point, the telephone company was only considered as a small business organization since it was established at a time when technological development was advancing at a face pace. Discover Additional information
Seven decades later in 1989, the company’s operations changed from providing telephone services to chronicling the technological changes and preserving old telephone models that they have collected over time to serve as physical reminders of the development of telecommunications through the years.
In the next 5 years, they have collected and curated various types of phones and memorabilia from both local and international manufacturers to be used as exhibits to the museum. Then in 1994, the museum was officially opened to the public. And they showcase the finest collections of telephones in the country.
Today, the telephone museum in Roseville features different exhibits in their 4 galleries, including an original 1876 prototype of telephone designed by the father of telephones himself, Alexander Graham Bell. Likewise, the museum also exhibits early models of switchboards and different novelty phones so that guests will be educated with these devices while being entertained at the same time.
Moreover, hundreds of wall-mounted antique wooden telephones, candlestick telephones, rare telephone booths, and colorful line insulators are just some of the many interesting displays you can expect to see inside the museum. And you can even try making a call to an actual switchboard used by the museum’s company in 1914.
Then in 2000, the Roseville Telephone Company was renamed into SureWest Communications after the acquisition of the company by WinFirst Communications. Twelve years later, SureWest was purchased by Consolidated Communications, an Illinois-based company that was founded in 1894 and had the same rich history as the Roseville Telephone Company.
Conclusion
Overall, a visit to the telephone museum in Roseville makes an educational and entertaining outing for family and friends alike. And it is also a recommended destination for group sight-seeing and school field trips. Next Article >>>
