The History Center on Main Street, 83 N. Main Street, Mansfield PA 16933   histcent83@gmail.com
 
Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice
Tri-County Communities
Bradford County PA
Chemung County NY
Tioga County PA

PRESENT EXCHANGE—The Millerton telephone exchange is located in this home in the center of the community.  Note heavy trunck line from pole to rear of home.
Article: 1956 Millerton's Phone System Upgrade
Township: Millerton, Jackson Township, Tioga County PA
Article 1956 - Elmira Star - Gazette
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Introduction by Joyce M. Tice
Those of you who grew up in cities may be surprised to be told that here in rural Tioga County PA we actually had wall phones with cranks well into the mid 1950s. We had party lines with several houeholds on a line. Each household had its own ring - Ours was a short two longs and a short. People on the party line could call each other by ringing directly, using the crank and the right short - long code. Other calls came through the telephone operator. In Mainesburg, Gladys Smith was the operator and she lived in a house right next door to the store. She was tied to that switchboard 24-7-365, The store delivered her groceries. She had the switchboard in a room right by the kitchen with a cot in the same room. The following article reflects the sense of celebration these communities experienced when dial phones came into their world. North Penn is still our phone company here in this area in 2005, and they have made DSL Internet access available to us in an ever increasing range. I have had it out of the Roseville exchange (Gray Valley station) since April 2002. Company headquarters is out of Prattsburg NY.

1956 - Probably from Elmira Star-Gazette
Joyce's Search Tip - November 2008
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Millerton’s Wall Phone Bowing to Modern Dials
 

OLD AND NEW--Dr. and Mrs. Ivan E. Pratt of Millerton look on as Milan E. Selleck, wire chief, install a dial phone in their home preparatory to a cut-over in the near future. D. Pratt, now 71, went to Millerton from Erie, Pa., in 1912 in quest of a healthier climate—which he obviously found FAITHFULL SWITCHBOARD—Mrs. Bessie Updyke sits by the Millerton central switchboard which she has operated in her home for 11 years. The North Penn Telephone Co. will change over to dial operation in Millerton, and late, in Bentley Creek area (Star-Gazette Photos by Peggy Gallagher) RELAYS—Howard Selleck, switchman for the North Penn Telephone Co. tests the all-relay dial equipment being installed at Millerton
Herman H. Wagner of Prattsburgh, N. Y., manager of the North Penn Telephone Co., said that plastic-insulated cable has been placed from the dial central office at Millerton to Jackson Summit and is now being placed to Jackson Center from Trowbridge.
Dial switchboard equipment for Bentley Creek has been delivered to the new building and as soon as the change at Millerton is completed, wiring of the switchboard will start at Bentley Creek.
The North Penn Telephone Co. was organized to acquire the Millerton, Mosherville, Bentley Creek, East Smithfield, Maineburg and Roseville central offices of the former Citizens Mutual Telephone and Telegraph Co., Oct. 1, 1952
North Penn now has 1,100su…
WINTER ‘PLANTING’—William Tobias and Donald Krause are shown with the mechanized auger which digs holes for poles near Alder Run.

 

Montour-Watkins Bird Club Elects

Watkins Glen – Newly elected officers of the Watkins-Montour Bird Club are president, Mrs. Stanley Spencer; vice presidents, Mrs. Robert Walton, Mrs. Morris Bardeen; secretary, Mrs. M. Cass Roberts; treasure, Miss Sarah VanVranken

ATTEND BAND FESTIVAL

ULYSSES, Pa – Those who attended the District Band Festival at Emporium were Mrs. Elery Walizer, music supervisor, Kitty Carpenter and Joyce Tarbox
 
 
The History Center on Main Street, 83 N. Main Street, Mansfield PA 16933   histcent83@gmail.com