A new exhibit on the Sherburne History Center web page
explores postcards and their popularity as a means of communication. An equally interesting development in Sherburne
County history is the adoption and use of the telephone. Beginning in the early 1890s and continuing
through the 1920s several small telephone companies organized in Sherburne
County to offer this unique method of communication. Delving into the early history of companies
such as the Meadowvale Rural Telephone Company and the Haven Telephone Company,
and the efforts of anonymous companies in Elk River provide an interesting
appreciation of a rising telephone technology in the county.
Drawing of candlestick style telephone common in 1900 |
As early as 1893, the opportunity to reach out to
friends in distant communities arrived in Elk River. The Elk River Star News reported a telephone company
installed a “hello line” at the Merchant Hotel.
A telephone at the hotel allowed residents to communicate as far as Winona. The company promised the service would soon
reach Chicago. An amazing technology that
allowed individuals to reach and connect with distant family and friends.
The hello line, although exciting, functioned with some
drawbacks. Often long-distance connections
required fifteen minutes, or more, to complete.
Charges for the call seemed relatively expensive, charging five cents
per minute. Privacy also seemed a
challenge. Within a year the telephone
moved to the Babcock and Son Store. A
room in the back of the store promised more privacy than the office of the
hotel.
As the 1890s progressed, the value of telephone
communications became more apparent. The
newspaper reported in 1899 plans being developed to provide a local exchange for
Elk River residents. In 1902 telephone
service within Elk River came available as a local telephone exchange opened. Within seven years Elk River and larger areas
of Sherburne County gained access to the telephone. In 1906 the Sherburne County Rural Telephone
Company connected the communities in the western portion of the county. Telephone lines connected Big Lake with
Becker, Zimmerman, Clear Lake, Orrock, Santiago, and Blue Hill. That same year, the Meadowvale Rural
Telephone Company provided additional connections between Elk River and
Zimmerman.
Beginning in the 1910s and into the 1920s, more
technology and development enhanced the business and culture of the telephone
in Sherburne County. Creating connections first in Elk River, with other parts
of Sherburne County following suit, the telephone developed into an important
tool for communication. Letters and postcards
remained important, yet the new technology quickly moved to the forefront of
daily life. Beginning in 1893 and
continuing into the 1920s, connecting Sherburne County residents became an important
feature of Sherburne County.
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