OUR MISSION
is to demonstrate the social and technical significance of the telephone network
from 1876 to the present, using working equipment to provide tangible,
operable evidence of an evolving technology.
WE CELEBRATE
the inventiveness, craftsmanship, ingenuity and industry
of the telecommunications community through educational programs,
exhibits, and special events.
"It's for YOU"
The 10th Annual Telephone Fair held last year was the museum’s last. Originally established as an open house event to introduce the community to The Telephone Museum, it had become an annual get-together for telephone enthusiasts and families from all over. Historic figures such as Almon B. Strowger and Angus MacDonald entertained the youngsters with telephone tales, and guests such as Dick Violette and Michael Hathaway impressed visitors with their knowledgeble presentations. Special exhibits and games for kids added to the fun.
Do not despair! All this and more is coming this year as Telephone Fair morphs into three distinct and appealing special days: Switcher’s Holiday, Family Day, and Friends, Neighbors and Volunteers Day. Now you have three good excuses to plan that special trip to The Telephone Museum in Ellsworth, Maine!
July 21: Switcher’s Holiday was conceived to give those interested in a more intensive hands-on experience with the museum’s switchboards and switching gear their own day. It will also give the museum staff a chance to train and recruit new technicians. Since our mission instructs us to demonstrate working equipment, we need volunteers interested in learning to maintain, operate, and document this equipment. Satisfy your curiosity, benefit from the experience of our staff and other like-minded individuals, and enjoy a great day in the country!
August 11: Family Day brings back the essence of Telephone Fair with a special emphasis on introducing youngsters to the world of big clickety-clack switches, odd looking phones, puzzling tools and people who worked and lived in a different time. Games, projects and special features such as those enjoyed at past fairs will be presented.
September 15: Friends, Neighbors and Volunteers Day is just what it says: a special day set aside to show our appreciation for those whose support, hard work and neighborliness help us operate year-to-year. Join up as a member, help out at a Project Day, work to further our mission – and enjoy treats and autumn breezes.
2006 was a busy year for The Telephone Museum. Last April several members of the board of directors toured The New Hampshire Telephone Museum in Warner resulting in a fine article written by John McNamara about Dick Violette that appeared in last May’s newsletter. Also in April, The Telephone Museum was invited by the Maine State Museum to participate in an event celebrating their acquisition of the Bryant Pond switchboards and Hathaway family memorabilia.
In May, members of The Telephone Museum presented an informational talk at the Ellsworth Public Library. In July, the museum hosted a “Business After Hours” event in partnership with the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce to introduce the local businesspeople to our work.
In August, we were assisted in preparations for our 10th – and final – Telephone Fair by Keith Cheshire, visiting from Florida, Martin Harriss from New Jersey, Rick Walsh and Jim Day from Connecticut and Gene and Sylvia Finger from New York.
In September, Sandra Galley and Stan St.Onge participated in a Homeschooler’s Expo in Massachusetts and presented the “Build A Carbon Transmitter” workshop to more than forty children.
The museum welcomed many new subscribers and several significant additions to our collections. Among the more notable acquisitions were the N2 Carrier system from Wawina, WI, outside plant items donated by “Cuff” Jordan and his brothers in memory of their father, and a delightful collection of mementos presented to the late Sanford B. Cousins, a former AT&T Vice-President and Maine native donated to the museum by his daughter, Patricia Waters.
The new “Artifact Assessment Building”, constructed by students from the Hancock County Technical School, and partially funded by The Unity Foundation was completed and put to good use.
Towards year-end, The Telephone Museum was notified that it was a recipient of a Maine Historical Records matching grant for improvements to archival facilities. The museum’s share in that match totals more than $3000., with a $250. grant from The Unity Foundation, and several designated donations, leading the way toward making that match.
The board of directors was sorry to say good-by to John McNamara who wrote to the DeLorme Gazetteer folks on our behalf urging our listing in their next issue – and who showed up on Work Days that others forgot, always ready to help with whatever we needed.
And, we said adios to Matthew Strong. Matthew was the very first person to spot a truck full of old telephone equipment at the barn on the Winkumpaugh Road, and wasted no time introducing himself. He served on the board of directors, as treasurer and as a volunteer in the HMO (heavy metal object) corps. In terms of “pulling his weight” at the museum, he has moved mountains. We lose Peggy, too! Her contributions to the museum include our beautiful sign – and completing Work Day tasks that many would shun – as well as her own stint as treasurer. We wish Matthew and Peggy many years of semi-retired bliss in their new digs in Columbia, South America.
The most exciting new development occurred at The Telephone Museum’s annual meeting in October. Discussion had been going on about the need for more space – for archival material, artifacts, exhibits, visitors and volunteers – when the idea of taking the largest of our switching systems in storage – the Clinton Central Office – and giving it a home of its own in a brand new building, thus freeing up space in the main building, the Morton storage building, the garage - you get the picture.
And so the Clinton C.O. Reconstruction Project was born. A committee, headed by Treasurer Dave Thompson and consisting of Charles Galley, Charles Dunne and Chad Perkins have begun to assess the feasibility of the project and to describe a time-line for construction and funding.
If this project goes ahead, we believe it will be the first time a complete step-by-step office has been re-constructed in a museum setting. If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact The Telephone Museum.