When was the last time you made a phone call from a pay phone booth? Heck, when was the last time you even saw a phone booth? While we’ve been busy texting and downloading and surfing the web, phone booths have disappeared right out from under our noses, much like the album store and the electric typewriter and a slew of other things I can’t think of because out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Sigh.
The phone booth in Prairie Grove recently received lots of attention when a lady fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into it. Since it only generated about four bucks in annual revenue, the Prairie Grove Telephone Company (serving the western portion of Washington County), debated about “retiring” it. Forced retirement is rarely a good thing. People took to social media and raised a hullabaloo about their beloved phone booth. It had become a photo op destination and part of what made Prairie Grove special. The phone booth was not only repaired, it’s been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.
And that’s pretty cool.
Can you imagine all the phone calls placed in this small space since 1959? Words spoken. Promises made. Pleas pled by curfew-breaking teenagers. But mom…
The Prairie Grove phone booth is located in the parking lot of the Colonial Motel, across the highway from the Prairie Grove Battlefield.
There’s a phone book inside, too.
According to Smithsonian, the world’s first pay phone was installed at the corner of Main Street and Central Row in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. There’s a plaque to mark the spot. As phone booths become extinct, maybe Prairie Grove’s phone booth will someday be the last working pay phone booth.
Or maybe pay phone booths will become WiFi hot spots. It could happen. Maybe?
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Dial N for #Nostalgia. Ode to the Pay Phone Booth. #PrairieGrove #NorthwestAr @artourism[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Robert Cray – Phone Booth
We have one in Washington Arkansas. It just got a new wooden box. It is pretty cool.
Thanks Alicia! I’d love to see a picture of it.
Or maybe pay phone booths will become WiFi hot spots.
Now that is a fantastic idea. 🙂
I think so too. Shark Tank?
How cool! I didn’t know this was there. I feel like I say that on every one of your posts. I should add this to my Arkansas bucket list.
LOVE that shirt, too! 😉
Thanks Georgeanne. I wear my AWBU shirt All The Time:))
The last time I was in Chicago (ages ago when I still had a pay-by-the-minute cell phone), I had run out of minutes and couldn’t find a darn pay phone to save my life. Fortunately, my life didn’t really need saving-just had to let my mom know I was okay. hahahaha
I read there are only 4 pay phone booths left in Manhattan. Not sure about Chicago. Zero maybe?
Oh Talya, what a memory jogger for me. Right out of high school I went to work for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph of San Jose, CA in the very office my Mom worked as a cordboard long distance toll operator. I took calls from the very booths you write of, the calls going all over the world! I even placed an entire call from a Catholic nun to a French Canadian telephone number speaking only French! I was fresh out of 3 years of high school French class. I was so proud of myself until the nun called back telling me I had failed to get her payment in change for the call. I also remember that I made daily calls to Hawaii from Dole Pineapple executives and I remember the clattery sound of the phone lines under the ocean as the currents moved them to and fro. This was a such a great job I thought, they were PAYING me to talk which I already loved to do! I worked with a good friend that ended up being my first roommate after moving out of my parents house. One day we discovered an old phone booth buried in a creek bed, we dug it out, called the telephone company and they picked it up from us ( I wish now we had kept it). Thanks for the memory jogger Talya!
Oh my goodness – what great memories you have. You have enough there for a book! Thank you so much for sharing them with me.
My pleasure Talya! Thanks.