Abt 1955 I think we had a HU -1234 number which was Humboldt and later got a TA5-1234 which was Taylor. I think by late 50's it went to the longer number. Probably a check of city directories for that time period would narrow it down to what year it switched over. Small towns with their own phone service kept the 4 diget number system longer..BTW, it was a 4 party line and you could listen in on the neighbors. Before TV; that was great entertainment.My cousins in Cohocton NY had a 12 party line. Kevin -----Original Message----- From: Brian J. Smith <smithbj@cox.net> To: NYERIE-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 21:32:10 -0700 Subject: RE: [NYERIE] Demise of Alpha Phone Exchanges and ZIP Codes in Buffalo Carol, I distinctly remember our Tonawanda phone number switching from six characters (UN-4812) to seven (TF4-4812, OR 834-4812) in about 1961, when I was about six years old. We moved to California in 1962. --- Brian J. Smith Poway, California http://members.cox.net/smithgen -----Original Message----- From: Carol Hornung [mailto:chornung@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:32 PM To: NYERIE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [NYERIE] Demise of Alpha Phone Exchanges and ZIP Codes in Buffalo I have a screwdriver on which the name and address of a business is imprinted. However, the phone number shows an alpha exchange (WO. 1332) and it is pre-ZIP code (Buffalo 10, New York). I believe this screwdriver was distributed by a business that was owned by relatives, and I would like to arrive at a possible date it might have come from. Anyone have any idea the latest date both alpha exchanges and no Zip codes would have been in use? A Google search shows that Zip codes came into use around 1963, but I have no idea on telephone exchanges in that area, although I think they were done away with earlier than that. I realize that imprinted screwdrivers for advertising would have been ordered in large quantities and conceivably distributed long after Zip codes came on the scene, but I'd still like to get a general idea of the latest it might have been produced. Thanks in advance! ~Carol in Detroit ==== NYERIE Mailing List ==== List Administrator: Dick Rose <dtrose@cox.net> My Genealogy: http://members.cox.net/dtrose/ Archived Messages at: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx ==== NYERIE Mailing List ==== List Administrator: Dick Rose <dtrose@cox.net> My Genealogy: http://members.cox.net/dtrose/ Archived Messages at: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ ============================== Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. New content added every business day. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx